Hillary Clinton responded to the recent killings of two black men by police officers on Twitter Thursday afternoon by saying, "Black Lives Matter."
"Alton Sterling Matters. Philando Castile Matters. Black Lives Matter," the presumed Democratic presidential nominee wrote.
Posted with the text was a simple graphic — white text over a black background reading: "Something is profoundly wrong when so many Americans have reason to believe that our country doesn't consider them as precious as others because of the color of their skin" and signed by Clinton with the July 7, 2016, date.
Alton Sterling Matters.
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 7, 2016
Philando Castile Matters.
Black Lives Matter. pic.twitter.com/GmUFN9sDH6
Sterling, 37, was killed by police outside a convenience store in Baton Rouge, La., early Tuesday morning. Two videos have captured the incident, including a new, more graphic one filmed from the phone of store owner Abdullah Muflahi. This new video shows Sterling was not holding a gun when he was shot multiple times, which contradicts the officer's claim that he was armed and represented a threat.
Both officers — Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake II — have been placed on paid leave as the Department of Justice investigates the incident. No charges have been filed.
A day later, Castile, 32, a school nutrition supervisor, was shot dead during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights, Minn.
Diamond Reynolds, Castile's fiance, live-streamed the incident — starting after the shots were fired — Wednesday night from inside the car. In the video, a police officer is seen training his gun on Castile's bloody body.
"Please don't tell me this, Lord. Please, Jesus, don't tell me that he's gone. Please don't tell me that he's gone," Reynolds is heard saying. "Please, officer, don't tell me that you just did this to him. You shot four bullets into him, sir. He was just getting his license and registration, sir."
The Justice Department has not opened an investigation into the Castile shooting, and the local and state investigation is ongoing.
Protests have broken out in both cities following the deaths of both men.