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Australian woman calls 911, shot dead by responding police in Minneapolis

Dead Man

Member
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-17/australian-woman-shot-dead-by-police-in-minneapolis/8714330
The shooting of an Australian woman by US police has raised serious concerns after it was revealed the officers did not have their body cameras turned on.

Justine Damond, aged 40, was shot dead in Minneapolis about 11:30pm local time on Saturday after two officers responded to a report of a possible assault.

Her stepson Zach Damond, 22, said she called police after hearing a noise in the alleyway near their house in the suburb of Fulton.

"At one point an officer fired their weapon, fatally striking a woman," the police department said.

"Officers were dispatched. When officers responded, an officer-involved shooting occurred, which resulted in one adult female victim who is deceased and which has prompted our callout to the BCA [Bureau of Criminal Apprehension].

"The BCA will now further be conducting this investigation, this officer-involved shooting, from this point forward."

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said in a statement that she was "heartsick and deeply disturbed by the incident".

"I'm seeking answers to the questions we all have, and will make sure to keep the communication flowing," she said.

Ms Hodges said she understood the police body cameras and squad camera, which were introduced to the Minneapolis Police Department last year, were not switched on when the shooting occurred.

The two officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, which is standard procedure.

A rally organised by local activist Mel Reeves was held at the site of the shooting, while other community members gathered for a vigil in Ms Damond's neighbourhood.

Local media say neighbours are mystified as to what occurred.

Zach Damond spoke at the vigil calling for more information and transparency from the authorities.

"Basically my mum is dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know, and I demand answers," Mr Damond said.

"I just know that she heard a sound in the alley so she called the police, and the cops showed up.

"And she probably... thought something bad was happening and then the next thing, they take my best friend's life.

"I'm so done with all this violence, it's so much bullshit.

"America sucks, these cops need to be trained differently and I need to move out of here."

The shooting has reopened a deep rift between community members and the authorities as it comes one year after Minneapolis man Philando Castile was shot and killed by Minneapolis police officer Jeronimo Yanez.

A video from the aftermath of last year's shooting was livestreamed on Facebook.

It showed a woman interacting with an armed officer as the fatally injured man lay on the footpath.

The local community was left reeling after Mr Yanez was acquitted of all charges exactly one month ago and fired by the City of Saint Anthony.

Leslie Redmond, the vice-president for the Minneapolis NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People), has called for a federal investigation into the latest shooting.

"I am shocked and appalled by the limited amount of information available right now. What are they covering up?" she said.

Bloody hell guys. Body cameras not turned on, shooting the damn person calling for help, fuck me. Maybe now a white woman has been murdered some action will be taken. Shit sounds utterly fucked up.

Edit:

Just gets weirder and weirder
Minnesota newspaper The Star Tribune reports Ms Damond was dressed in her pyjamas when she went to the driver's side door of the police vehicle that responded to the emergency call.
She was talking to the driver when the officer in the passenger seat pulled out his gun and shot across his fellow officer.


Three sources with knowledge of the incident said Sunday that two officers in one squad car, responding to the 911 call, pulled into the alley. Damond, in her pajamas, went to the driver's side door and was talking to the driver. The officer in the passenger seat pulled his gun and shot Damond through the driver's side door, sources said. No weapon was found at the scene.

What in the fuck?
 

Shauni

Member
I need help!

Murders her.

Well, she doesn't need help anymore, our job is done.

I wish it were unbelievable, but at this point, it's not.
 

watershed

Banned
Such bullshit. I feel like there's nothing left to be said when it comes to police killing people. It's so routine in America, it's disgusting.
 

Verelios

Member
God, Australian friends, this really isn't the time to come visit. And of course their body cams were 'turned off', probably 'gone missing' too.
 
Body cameras not on? Should be fired immediately first of all. This all sounds shady as hell. Let's see if this woman gets justice and these officers face charges.
 

gamma

Member
I would like to know what kind of training police officers in the US receive. Can't be more than "here's a gun, go shoot bad* people".

*optional
 

rjinaz

Member
Why are so many American police officers so eager to pull out their guns?

Surely they're trained to use firearms in extreme circumstances only?

Their lives above all else. I mean that's what it comes down to. There was a time where that wasn't the case but that was when policing was actually about serving and protecting the public instead of just enforcing law and covering their own asses.

Don't call the police unless you really feel you need to. Like you fear for your life because they are coming with guns and they will use them because that's what they are told to do.
 

GK86

Homeland Security Fail
Shoot first, paid vacation later.

Cops in this country are a god damn joke. RIP to the woman. Another life taken by a group of thugs.
 

Shpeshal Nick

aka Collingwood
So basically you only survive American police if you're white and American?

Black people and any non US native is fucked?
 
I mean, that's the risk you take when you travel to a violent, developing country.
Seriously though, my thoughts and prayers with the deceased and her loved ones. All I can hope for is they receive some measure of justice, and the systemic issues of police violence can finally start to be meaningfully addressed. Though given the precedence of the past few years, I'm rather pessimistic
 

marrec

Banned
Officers defense will be "I thought it was a black man" and the grand jury will acquit. I can see the future.
 

Measley

Junior Member
I wonder how Fox News and conservative media are going to spin this one.

Feel bad for her son. Couldn't imagine losing my mom that way.
 

kirblar

Member
...did they shoot at absolutely nothing (or an animal or something) and kill her inside the house? Fucking hell. It seems very unlikely that she'd be outside given the nature of the call.
Sick of reading this and "paid administrative leave"...
Putting people on paid leave while an investigation takes place is normal. You can fire them once you've completed it. (the other is indeed PR-speak, however.)
 

Jerm411

Member
Putting people on paid leave while an investigation takes place is normal. You can fire them once you've completed it. (the other is indeed PR-speak, however.)

Oh I know...just tired of reading it as it's almost daily any more....
 

Bossun

Member
People can't be in danger anymore if there is no more people

flat,800x800,070,f.u2.jpg
 

Derwind

Member
Shoot first...

Sorry, there was more, I just forgot to record it.

Seriously though, I hope she gets justice, I just won't believe it until I see it.

R.I.P. & condolences to the family/son.
 
Disturbing, it's the talk of the town in the Twin Cities at the moment.

Also a slight clarification, Fulton is an official neighborhood in Minneapolis proper, not a suburb. It and the neighboring suburbs are relatively wealthy areas.


There's really no excuse for the public to demand and fund body cams for them to be "inoperable" so frequently.
 
Is there any details on how this unfolded? I don't get how a call for a disturbance in an alleyway gets someone shot in their home?
 
I have to wonder if literally every cop is okay with this, because no matter how bad the PR for this looks it doesn't seem like there is any pressure to change.
 
Man it SURE IS FUNNY how despite all these new body cam laws we have, they never seem to be on when there is dubious shit about a case.

Sure.

Is.

Funny.
 
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