The Police Violence: The Shooting of Philando Castile

The police violence, especially in relation to minorities, has become the major problem that undermines the confidence of the public in the police and deteriorates relations between the police and the public. In this regard, the recent shooting of Philando Castile has sparkled a new wave of violence and confrontation between the police and the African American community as the police officer shot dead the African American during the traffic stop. However, this case was not the mere case of the police violence and shooting the motorist, but it is also the matter of accurate profiling and presence of gun because it is such a combination of these factors that has ultimately led to the shooting.

The shooting of Philando Castile was above all provoked by the profiling that made the police officer think that Philando Castile was very similar to a suspect involved in a robbery. The “wide-set nose” of the suspect was widely quoted in many media as the distinct feature that made the police officer suspicious about the driver. At the same time, such profiling indicates clearly to the racial background of the profiling strategy used by the police. The race-oriented profiling is one of the main factors that causes the growing tension between the police and African Americans because the latter grow frustrated because of the suspicious attitude from the part of the police, while the police fail to elaborate effective profiling strategies that help police officers to identify suspects regardless of the racial profiling.

Another and apparently the major problem was the presence of gun either real or presumable in the car of Philando Castile. The news media coverage of the shooting reveal two absolutely different versions of the presence of gun in the car. On the one hand, the police officer insists on the presence of gun that was the major driver that urged him to shoot the suspect, while the girlfriend of the driver insists there were no gun in the car at all and the suspect was reaching for his wallet only. However, the problem is not even the presence or absence of the gun in the car, but the rpobelm is the availability of the gun to civilians and the high risk of the presence of guns in civilian hands that makes police officers extremely suspicious to any actions that may involve the use of gun. In this regard, the ban of fire arms sales to civilians and the ban of the right to bear arms would make Philando Castile shooting impossible because there would be the reason for shooting at all.

Finally, the police violence is one more important issue that triggered directly or indirectly the shooting. Police officers have been repeatedly accused of misusing their power and authority, especially in relation to African Americans that increased the tension between the police and African American community. Violent methods used by police officers often become subjects to severe criticism. In case of Philando Castile shooting, the use of force by the police officer was obvious but the question that begs is whether the use of force was essential in that case. In this regard, police officers need to consider techniques and strategies to minimize the use of force while conducting their regular activities, including traffic stops.

Thus, the case of Philando Castile shooting is another case of the shooting of the African American by the police officer which reveals deep-rooted problems of the US society and police, including the ineffective profiling strategy, the presence of fire arms, and the police violence.

Works Cited:

Officer who shot Minnesota man reacted to gun, not race

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/07/10/officer-who-shot-minnesota-man-reacted-to-gun-not-race-lawyer-says.html

Cops May Have Thought Philando Castile Was a Robbery Suspect, Nothing ‘Wide-Set Nose,’

http://abcnews.go.com/US/cops-thought-philando-castile-robbery-suspect-dispatch-audio/story?id=40439957

Facebook video shows aftermath of police shooting in Falcon Heights, Minnesota

http://www.fox9.com/news/170568861-story

Read the Transcript of the Video Taken During Philando Castile Shooting in Minnesota

http://time.com/4397189/minnesota-shooting-philando-castiles-facebook-live-transcript/

Philando Castile Had Been Stopped 52 Times By Police

Philando Castile never showed handgun during deadly Minnesota traffic stop, girlfriend says:the gun never came out, it could never be a threat’

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/philando-castile-showed-gun-traffic-stop-girlfriend-article-1.2706987

Police audio: Officer stopped Philando Castile on robbery suspicion

Police recording doesn’t cover shooting itself. 

http://www.startribune.com/police-audio-officer-stopped-philando-castile-on-robbery-suspicion/386344001/#1

Officer kills gun owner during stop US woman livestreams boyfriend’s dying moments after police shooting Minnesota Police Kill Man In Car; Video Is Widely Shared

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

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"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

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freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 29, 2024]
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