Five fast facts about the police officer who shot and killed soon to be wedded Australian woman Justine Damond have emerged. Across Australia and in Minneapolis where the shooting occurred, questions continue to be asked about how her death could have possibly happened? The BBC reported that the Australian PM had described her death as "ïnexplicable."
It was meant to be the other way around. It needs to be written -- It was widely reported that on Saturday night officers responded to a 911 call made by Justine Damond, whose maiden name was Ruszczyk.
She had apparently heard a noise in a nearby alley that sounded like an assault. After approaching the police vehicle, one officer shot her. Emergency back-up was requested, but Justine, who was soon to marry her American fiance died at the scene.
Little information other than the fact that Justine seemed to have been shot for no apparent reason emerged and this has raised interest in the case, and most particularly in the motive behind the shooting. Below the video news report are five fast facts about the police officer who pulled the trigger and destroyed the happiness of a family.
Officer who shot Justine is named
According to a report by CNN, the name of the police officer is Mohamed Noor.
The officer is not responding to calls by mainstream media to say something and his lawyer, Tom Plunkett stated in a statement that was reported by ABC News, that "He (Noor) takes their (family) loss seriously and keeps them in his daily thoughts and prayers." He went on to say that "the current environment for police is difficult, but Officer Noor accepts this as part of his calling."
Mohamed Noor's police career
According to a city official who was cited by CNN, Officer Noor joined the Minneapolis Police Department in March 2015, and after he had completed his training, he was assigned to the "Fifth Precinct, which covers Southwest Minneapolis," about a year later.
He was notable as a Somali-American officer in the department.
When he was first deployed there, Mayor Betsy Hodges mentioned this in her introductory post on Facebook, saying, "I want to take a moment to recognize Officer Mohamed Noor, the newest Somali officer in the Minneapolis Police Department. Officer Noor has been assigned to the 5th Precinct, where his arrival has been highly celebrated, particularly by the Somali community in and around Karmel Mall.
The community even hosted a meet and greeted event (see pics) to welcome him. A beautiful sign of building trust and community policing at work.
Justine's killer was well educated
In his life before joining the police, Mohamed Noor was well educated. According to the police department, he graduated from Augsburg College in Minneapolis with "a degree in economics and business administration," before seeking employment in commercial and residential building management.
Noor's family background
Not much is known about Mohamed Noor other than the fact that he is a police officer and shot dead a woman who called the police to attend what she thought was an assault. It was noted by Star Tribune that he came to America at a very young age.
He was married, and the news outlet cited divorce documents that indicate he is "a caring, involved father who was at times consumed by the demands of his job." It was also mentioned that Noor's mother is alive and often babysits his son.
Somali community devastated over the shooting
Officer Mohamed Noor was held in high regard by the Somali population of the city. The Sixth Ward City Council candidate who shares a similar name but is not related to the officer said that while the community is shocked by yet another civilian death by a police officer, that the "police should be held accountable as (in) any other police shooting.”
According to Star Tribune, a Somali activist who knows officer Noor said that his "becoming an officer was a dream come true." For Somali's, Noor being an officer was considered an example of successful integration into the USA.
Noor has declined to make a statement. CNN reported that Mayor Betsy Hodges is disappointed that Noor has not made a statement or said more about what compelled him to open fire on Justine Damond. "We cannot compel Officer Noor to make a statement. I wish we could. I wish that he would make a statement, is what I want to say," she said.
