Hillary Clinton met with the family of Philando Castile in Minneapolis on Monday night and later told an audience of educators that she’ll work to build trust between police departments and the citizens they protect.
Castile, a school kitchen worker, was fatally shot by police July 6 during a traffic stop. His death at the hands of police, along with that of Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge a day earlier, led to retaliation against law enforcement across the country.
Mrs. Clinton said the cycle of death must stop.
“We cannot let this madness continue. This violence cannot stand,” she said.
Before addressing the American Federation of Teachers conference in Minneapolis, Mrs. Clinton reportedly met with Castile’s mother, two uncles and his sister.
“A lot of people are still in pain right here, including his courageous family, his coworkers, and students at the St. Paul public schools, and our AFT brothers and sisters in the Twin Cities who knew him as a fellow educator who cared deeply about this community and its children,” the former first lady told the crowd at the AFT conference. “His death, his loss, is ours as well.”
Mrs. Clinton’s speech was briefly interrupted by protesters who shouted, “Hands up, don’t shoot,” and she responded by again vowing to address the tensions between blacks and law enforcement.
“I share the urgency and the commitment to actually address these issues,” she said.
• Ben Wolfgang can be reached at bwolfgang@washingtontimes.com.
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