Justine Damond Shooting: 911 Call Made Before Killing; Minneapolis Policeman 'Feared Ambush'
An Australian meditation instructor named Justine Damond was shot dead by a Minneapolis police officer on Saturday.
Damond, 40, who has been living in the U.S. since 2015, was fatally shot in the abdomen by one of the police officers who responded to her 911 call. Officer Matthew Harrity, 25, drove the squad car, while Officer Mohamed Noor, 31, sat at the passenger seat.
It was Noor, a two-year veteran in the force, who shot the fatal blow. According to his partner, Harrity, they both heard a "loud sound" when they responded to the scene. Shortly after, Damond approached the driver's side of the police vehicle.
Noor, from the passenger seat, fired a single shot through the open window of the driver's side. They provided medical assistance, but it was to no avail. Damond died on the spot from a single gunshot to the abdomen.
Fred Bruno, Harrity's lawyer, shared that "it's certainly reasonable" for officers in this particular scenario to assume a possible ambush.
The lawyer then brought up the death of a New York City cop that happened earlier this month. The officer, a mother of two, was "executed in her car in a very similar scenario," Bruno stated.
Damond sought help after reportedly hearing a woman's screams, which possibly could have been someone getting raped. "Hi, I'm, I can hear someone out the back and I, I'm not sure if she's having sex or being raped," the transcript of her 911 call reads.
Moments before Damond approached the police car parked in the dark alley, Harrity, during his interview, claims to have seen a possible witness pass by the area, a young person on a bike. Detectives are urging the cyclist to come forward with any information that might shed light on the incident.
Authorities need more concrete evidence as the officers' body cams or dash cams were not working when the shooting happened. The two cops have been placed on a paid administrative leave since the investigation is still ongoing.
More updates on the case should follow.
