Justice Department Monitoring Minnesota Case

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department says it is monitoring a Minnesota agency's investigation into the fatal shooting of a black driver by a police officer in a Minneapolis suburb, but that it isn't yet taking an active role.

The department released a statement Thursday saying it "stands ready to provide assistance" to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and "is prepared, as necessary, to conduct further investigation."

FBI Director James Comey says he was briefed on the Minnesota case Thursday morning and expects the bureau will be involved, as it is in similar cases.

Gov. Mark Dayton said Thursday that he had asked for the Justice Department to investigate Wednesday's fatal shooting of Philando Castile in Falcon Heights. Police apparently stopped Castile for a broken taillight and an officer shot him several times as he sat in his car.

Castile's girlfriend was in the car and broadcast the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook.