*A funeral was held Thursday for Philando Castile in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The 32-year-old cafeteria supervisor was shot several times during a July 6 traffic stop in the St. Paul suburb of Falcon Heights, and the aftermath was streamed live on Facebook by his girlfriend – bringing instant international attention to his killing and the issue of police shootings of African Americans.
Gov. Mark Dayton, U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken, and U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison were among those in attendance at the 3,000-seat Cathedral of St. Paul to pay their final respects. Castile’s white casket arrived and left on a horse-drawn carriage.
According to the Independent Tribune, faith leaders and musicians delivered messages of hope.
In his eulogy, the Rev. Steve Daniels Jr. of Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church questioned why racial profiling still occurs in the U.S. He said he grew up in Mississippi in the 1950s and ’60s and understands the frustrations expressed by today’s protesters in response to police shootings of black people.
They want to feel respected, valued and are tired of being “wrongfully murdered,” Daniels said.
He said he’s thankful for police and their service, but that people need to find a way to work together.
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