An Australian woman has been fatally shot by a US police officer in Minneapolis after she called 911 to report a noise near her home. The victim has been identified as Justine Damond, a 40-year-old meditation teacher originally from Sydney.
According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, officers responded to a call of a possible assault on Saturday night. At some point, an officer fired their weapon, striking and killing Ms Damond. Officials confirmed that the officers' body cameras were not activated at the time of the incident.
Local media reported that Ms Damond, dressed in pyjamas, approached the driver's side door of the police car to speak with the officer at the wheel. The passenger officer, identified as Mohamed Noor, reportedly drew his gun and shot her through the driver's window. Mr Noor's lawyer confirmed his client fired the weapon.
Ms Damond's stepson, Zach, posted a Facebook video demanding answers, saying, 'My mom's dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know.' He added, 'America sucks. These cops need to get trained differently.'
Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges expressed being 'heartsick and deeply disturbed' by the shooting. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating, and authorities are seeking any video of the incident. The two officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs released a statement on behalf of Ms Damond's family, saying, 'This is a very difficult time for our family. We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened.'
