Officer Who Killed Castile Leaves Department

The Minnesota police officer who was acquitted in last year's fatal shooting of black motorist Philando Castile has left the suburban police department where he served under a separation agreement. The Minneapolis suburb of St. Anthony announced Monday that Jeronimo Yanez is no longer with the police department, the AP reports. The terms were not released. Castile, a 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria worker, was shot by Yanez during a traffic stop on July 6, 2016, after Castile told the officer he was armed. Castile had a permit for his gun. Yanez, who is Latino, was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges in June.

On the day of the verdict, the city announced the "public will be best served" if Yanez were no longer an officer. On Monday, the city said the agreement "ends all employment rights" for Yanez. "Since Officer Yanez was not convicted of a crime, as a public employee, he would have appeal and grievance rights if terminated," it said in a statement. Castile's uncle, Clarence Castile, says he is glad Yanez will no longer be an officer. "He should be in jail," the uncle says. "He's like a fish that wiggled his way off a hook," he says. "Hopefully he won't be able to get a police job in the United States. Because he's a poor example of a police officer." (The judge in the case wrote a rare thank-you note to jurors.)