US police kill Aussie woman
A US police officer reportedly shot dead Australian spiritual healer and “beautiful soul” Justine Damond after she approached his squad car in a Minnesota alley and began speaking to his partner through the window.
Ms Damond called police in her adopted home city of Minneapolis just before midnight on Saturday about a possible assault in the alley behind her home.
When the police car arrived, the 40-year-old, dressed in her pyjamas, walked to the driver’s side door and began talking to the driver, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune citing three sources with knowledge of the incident.
The alley was described as well-lit, but according to the sources the officer sitting in the passenger seat pulled his gun and shot Ms Damond through the driver’s side door.
No weapon was found at the scene, the two officers’ body cameras were not turned on and their police car dashboard camera did not capture the incident.
The two police officers are on administrative leave, while the city’s mayor wants to know why the cameras weren’t on.
Ms Damond’s soon-to-be stepson, Zach Damond, was desperate for answers.
“My mum is dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don’t know,” the 22year-old said.
“I demand answers. If anybody can help, just call police and demand answers. “I’m so done with all this violence.”
Her family in Sydney has called for privacy.
“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,” they said in a statement.