“[Officer Yanez] is deeply saddened for the family and loved ones of Philando Castile. Tragically, the use of force became necessary in reacting to the actions of Mr. Castile. This heartbreaking incident had nothing to do with race. It had to do with the presence of a gun,” Kelly said in a statement, also indicating that the officer has had no disciplinary action taken against him over his career.

The shooting of 32-year-old Castile, the aftermath of which was live-streamed on Facebook by his girlfriend, came soon after the release of a video of another black man’s death at the hands of police in Louisiana, and together the two events have sparked nationwide outrage and protests. Castile’s girlfriend, Diamond Reynolds, says that after their car had been pulled over, Castile had simply informed the officer that he was carrying a legal firearm and reached to provide his driver’s license and registration as he had been asked, when the officer started shooting, utlimately firing four times. In that same video, a police officer is heard saying, “I told him not to reach for it. I told him to get his hand out.”