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| Justine Damond: police lawyer claims officers may have feared an ambush | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The attorney for a Minneapolis police officer whose partner fatally shot an Australian woman has said it was reasonable for the officers to have believed that they might be targets of an ambush. | The attorney for a Minneapolis police officer whose partner fatally shot an Australian woman has said it was reasonable for the officers to have believed that they might be targets of an ambush. |
| Officer Matthew Harrity told investigators he heard a loud sound before officer Mohamed Noor shot 40-year-old Justine Damond. | Officer Matthew Harrity told investigators he heard a loud sound before officer Mohamed Noor shot 40-year-old Justine Damond. |
| According to the Minnesota bureau of criminal apprehension (BCA), Harrity told investigators he and Noor were in a squad car on Saturday when the sound startled Harrity. Damond appeared at the driver’s side door and Noor shot her from the passenger seat. | According to the Minnesota bureau of criminal apprehension (BCA), Harrity told investigators he and Noor were in a squad car on Saturday when the sound startled Harrity. Damond appeared at the driver’s side door and Noor shot her from the passenger seat. |
| Harrity’s attorney, Fred Bruno, told the Star Tribune “it’s certainly reasonable” to assume any officer would be concerned about an ambush. He referenced the recent death of a New York City officer killed in her squad car. | Harrity’s attorney, Fred Bruno, told the Star Tribune “it’s certainly reasonable” to assume any officer would be concerned about an ambush. He referenced the recent death of a New York City officer killed in her squad car. |
| “It was only a few weeks ago when a female NYPD cop and mother of twins was executed in her car in a very similar scenario.” | “It was only a few weeks ago when a female NYPD cop and mother of twins was executed in her car in a very similar scenario.” |
| NYPD officer Miosotis Familia was shot in the head on 5 July while sitting in her car in the Bronx. | NYPD officer Miosotis Familia was shot in the head on 5 July while sitting in her car in the Bronx. |
| Bruno declined to provide specifics about the Damond case. | Bruno declined to provide specifics about the Damond case. |
| It also emerged on Wednesday that Damond called 911 twice to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home. | It also emerged on Wednesday that Damond called 911 twice to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home. |
| City officials released transcripts of the 911 calls that Damond made Saturday night. She was killed by a responding officer after she approached their squad car when it finally arrived. | City officials released transcripts of the 911 calls that Damond made Saturday night. She was killed by a responding officer after she approached their squad car when it finally arrived. |
| Damond made her first call at 11.27pm, when she said she heard a possible sexual assault. Damond told the dispatcher she wasn’t sure but thought a woman was in distress. She called back eight minutes later when no officers had arrived and told the dispatcher she was worried they had gone to the wrong address. | Damond made her first call at 11.27pm, when she said she heard a possible sexual assault. Damond told the dispatcher she wasn’t sure but thought a woman was in distress. She called back eight minutes later when no officers had arrived and told the dispatcher she was worried they had gone to the wrong address. |
| Officer Noor has so far declined to be interviewed. Investigators say they cannot compel officer Noor to give an interview. | Officer Noor has so far declined to be interviewed. Investigators say they cannot compel officer Noor to give an interview. |
| A cellphone was found next to Damond’s body. | A cellphone was found next to Damond’s body. |
| The “twin cities” of Minneapolis and St Paul have been rocked in recent years by police shootings, putting the community and law enforcement on edge. | The “twin cities” of Minneapolis and St Paul have been rocked in recent years by police shootings, putting the community and law enforcement on edge. |
| Last month a police officer was acquitted after he shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop while Castile’s girlfriend live streamed the horrifying incident. | Last month a police officer was acquitted after he shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop while Castile’s girlfriend live streamed the horrifying incident. |
| Protests also erupted after two officers fatally shot 24-year-old Jamar Clark in 2015 and were not charged. | Protests also erupted after two officers fatally shot 24-year-old Jamar Clark in 2015 and were not charged. |
| Harrity and Noor are on paid administrative leave. Harrity has been with the Minneapolis police department for one year, and Noor has been with the department for nearly two. | Harrity and Noor are on paid administrative leave. Harrity has been with the Minneapolis police department for one year, and Noor has been with the department for nearly two. |
| No weapon was found at the scene. The officers did not turn on their body cameras until after the shooting, and the squad car camera was also not activated. | No weapon was found at the scene. The officers did not turn on their body cameras until after the shooting, and the squad car camera was also not activated. |
| Harrity told investigators that after the shooting, the officers got out of their vehicle and gave Damond immediate medical attention. | Harrity told investigators that after the shooting, the officers got out of their vehicle and gave Damond immediate medical attention. |
| Harrity said that he and Noor saw a man, estimated to be between 18-25 years old, bicycling in the area before the shooting. That man stopped and watched as officers attended to Damond. BCA agents are asking that man, and any other potential witnesses, to come forward. | Harrity said that he and Noor saw a man, estimated to be between 18-25 years old, bicycling in the area before the shooting. That man stopped and watched as officers attended to Damond. BCA agents are asking that man, and any other potential witnesses, to come forward. |
| The BCA said that unless more people come forward, there are no additional interviews scheduled. | The BCA said that unless more people come forward, there are no additional interviews scheduled. |
| David Klinger, a criminal justice professor at the University of Missouri-St Louis, said police officers can’t be compelled to testify in an outside investigation. | David Klinger, a criminal justice professor at the University of Missouri-St Louis, said police officers can’t be compelled to testify in an outside investigation. |
| In a news conference Tuesday after the BCA’s update, Mayor Betsy Hodges said she wished Noor would speak to investigators. “It’s frustrating to have some of the picture but not all of it,” she said. “We cannot compel officer Noor to make a statement. I wish we could. I wish that he would make a statement.” | In a news conference Tuesday after the BCA’s update, Mayor Betsy Hodges said she wished Noor would speak to investigators. “It’s frustrating to have some of the picture but not all of it,” she said. “We cannot compel officer Noor to make a statement. I wish we could. I wish that he would make a statement.” |
| Assistant Chief Medaria Arradondo said the department is reviewing its policy on body cameras and was doing so before Damond’s death. Arradondo said the department is just eight months into a department-wide rollout, and the review includes focusing on how often officers activate them. He said the department wants to increase that frequency. | Assistant Chief Medaria Arradondo said the department is reviewing its policy on body cameras and was doing so before Damond’s death. Arradondo said the department is just eight months into a department-wide rollout, and the review includes focusing on how often officers activate them. He said the department wants to increase that frequency. |
| The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, gave an interview on Wednesday to Australia’s Today morning show, shortly before the release of details from the BCA’s preliminary investigation, and joined the chorus demanding answers. “How can a woman out in the street in her pajamas seeking assistance from police be shot like that? It is a shocking killing,” Turnbull said. | The Australian prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, gave an interview on Wednesday to Australia’s Today morning show, shortly before the release of details from the BCA’s preliminary investigation, and joined the chorus demanding answers. “How can a woman out in the street in her pajamas seeking assistance from police be shot like that? It is a shocking killing,” Turnbull said. |
| In Damond’s hometown of Sydney, about 300 people attended a silent vigil in her honor Wednesday morning at Freshwater Beach. Mourners threw pink flowers into the Pacific Ocean. | In Damond’s hometown of Sydney, about 300 people attended a silent vigil in her honor Wednesday morning at Freshwater Beach. Mourners threw pink flowers into the Pacific Ocean. |
| Records from the city’s office of police conduct review show Noor has had three complaints against him. Two are pending, and the third was dismissed without discipline. Under state law, details of open cases and cases that result in no discipline are not released. | Records from the city’s office of police conduct review show Noor has had three complaints against him. Two are pending, and the third was dismissed without discipline. Under state law, details of open cases and cases that result in no discipline are not released. |
| Noor was also sued earlier this year after a 25 May incident in which he and other officers took a woman to the hospital for an apparent mental health crisis. The lawsuit claims Noor and other officers violated the woman’s rights when they entered her home without permission and Noor grabbed her wrist and upper arm. The lawsuit, which is pending, said Noor relaxed his grip when the woman said she had a previous shoulder injury. | Noor was also sued earlier this year after a 25 May incident in which he and other officers took a woman to the hospital for an apparent mental health crisis. The lawsuit claims Noor and other officers violated the woman’s rights when they entered her home without permission and Noor grabbed her wrist and upper arm. The lawsuit, which is pending, said Noor relaxed his grip when the woman said she had a previous shoulder injury. |
| Damond, who was planning to be married next month, was a meditation teacher and life coach. Her maiden name was Justine Ruszczyk, and though she was not yet married, she had already been using her fiance’s last name. | Damond, who was planning to be married next month, was a meditation teacher and life coach. Her maiden name was Justine Ruszczyk, and though she was not yet married, she had already been using her fiance’s last name. |
| The Associated Press and Australian Associated Press contributed to this report. | The Associated Press and Australian Associated Press contributed to this report. |