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The family of an Australian woman shot by U.S. police are demanding answers after it was revealed police officers involved in the incident did not turn on body cameras and the police car dashboard camera was unable to record the fatal incident.
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Justine Ruszczyk Damond, 40, was shot by two Minneapolis police department officers Saturday. Her death was ruled as a homicide and the two officers involved are on administrative leave.
“Sadly, her family and I have been provided with almost no additional information from law enforcement regarding what happened after police arrived,” Don Damond, the victim's partner, told reporters outside their home in suburban Fulton on Monday local time.
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges and the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota called for answers on why the two responding officers failed to turn on their body cameras when they arrived at Damond's home in a quiet, upper-middle-class neighborhood shortly before midnight on Saturday.
According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Damond was in her pajamas when she approached the driver’s side of the police car's window. Officer Noor shot across his partner at Damond more than once from the passenger seat.
“Shots fired ... we have one down,” one of the officers in an audio recently released by a group that monitor Minneapolis police dispatch calls.
The exact circumstances behind the shooting remain unclear. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, BCA, stated the investigation was ongoing and “initial interviews with officers” weren’t complete, two days after the shooting.
After conducting an autopsy on Damond, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner concluded that she had died from a gunshot wound to her abdomen.
A crowd of nearly 100 gathered at a vigil Monday to remember Damond who was a corporate speaker and a meditation teacher. She had moved from Sydney three years ago and was engaged to marry Don Damond, 50, a US businessman, next month.
“Our hearts are broken and we are utterly devastated by the loss of Justine,” Damond said. “As you know, it was Justine who called 911 on Saturday evening, reporting what she believed was an active sexual assault occurring nearby.”
Janee Harteau, chief of the Minneapolis Police Department, said the investigation into Damond’s death would be expedited.
"I want to acknowledge the pain and frustration that family and community members have following the fatal officer involved shooting on Saturday night. This is clearly a tragic death," Harteau said in a statement.
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