MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A lawyer for a suburban Minnesota police officer who killed a black driver says his client pulled the man over in part because he believed he resembled a suspect in a robbery.
Philando Castile had no felony record and authorities have not said he was a suspect in any crime.
But attorney Thomas Kelly tells the Star Tribune newspaper that Officer Jeronimo Yanez thought the 32-year-old Castile looked like someone police had been seeking in a recent robbery.
Castile’s girlfriend was in the vehicle. She has said Castile was reaching for his wallet when he was shot, after telling officers he had a gun and a permit for it.
Kelly told The Associated Press that Yanez was reacting to the seeing that gun when he drew his own weapon.
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