'We Are Innocent People!' Shocking Police Shooting Deaths Caught on Camera

The deaths of two black men just two days apart at the hands of white police officers have many angry and searching for answers.

In Minnesota, Philando Castile, 32, was shot and killed Wednesday by police during a traffic stop for a broken tail light.

Protesters gathered on the streets after video footage of the traffic stop was released. The man's girlfriend, Lavish Reynolds, who was in the driver's seat, live-streamed the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook.

Reynolds' video shows Castile sitting in the passenger seat dying after the officer shot him. Her 4-year-old daughter was in the back seat.

Reynolds says Castile was reaching for his ID when the officer shot him. 

Looking into the camera, she says that Castile had told officers he was carrying a weapon, which she says he was licensed to do so, and that he was reaching for his wallet when he was shot.

"And the officer just shot him in the arm," Reynolds said, adding, "He just shot his arm off."

In the recording, Reynolds repeatedly voices her concern that her boyfriend would die.

"We are innocent people, Lord," she prays and weeps out loud." We are innocent people."

Castile died shortly after the live recording ended. 

Reynolds was held in police custody for questioning after the shooting. She was released Thursday and was met by a group of people who offered prayers of support.

Minnesota police are investigating Castile's death and the video, which has since been removed from Reynolds' Facebook page.

Another black man, Alton Sterling, 37, was killed early Tuesday in the parking lot of a convenience store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Cell phone and surveillance video of the incident shows officers holding Sterling down and shooting him.

The video of Sterling's death in a predominantly black neighborhood has reopened wounds and stirred frustrations within the black community, reigniting issues surrounding police killings of African-Americans.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and Sterling's family have called for peace and has asked churches for help.

"I'm asking for leaders in the faith-based community, elected officials and other community leaders ... to ensure we all remain calm and peaceful as the details continue to unfold," Edwards said. "That may be tough for some, but it's essential that we do that."

Edwards added, "One thing is for sure, another violent act or destruction of property is not the answer. We already have one family torn apart."

Many around the country are voicing concern about the shootings. One Tampa pastor's response to Sterling's shooting went viral.

Savanna Hartman, who is white, live-streamed her emotional and passionate reaction on Facebook on Wednesday. Her post has more than 4 million views and has been shared over 124,000 times.

Hartman is a pastor of a small church in Ybor City. In the video she says that people need to realizre there's a problem and offers compassion for victims in the black community.

She also says she does not have any issues with good police officers.

Christian rapper Lecrae is also urging people to respond correctly.

"Constructive anger becomes passion to change and fight injustice. Destructive anger becomes rage and reciprocated ignorance," he tweeted.

And the video of a black female police officer is also trending online.  "I'm here because I wanted to make a difference. But how dare you stand next to me in the same uniform and murder somebody? How dare you," Officer Nakia Jones said in the live Facebook video Wednesday.

Several churches are holding prayer rallies, praying for peace for the victims' families and for healing for what many see as a tragedy that keeps happening over and over again.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department has launched a civil rights investigation into Sterling's shooting.