Australian’s death ruled homicide

The US medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Australian Justine Damond has ruled her death a homicide, after a neighbour labelled the fatal police shooting an “execution”.

Her distraught partner Don Damond, 53, wants to know why a police officer felt so threatened by a pyjama clad Damond he shot her dead behind their Minneapolis home. Damond was hit in the stomach when Minneapolis officer Mohamed Noor fired across his partner from inside their police car about 11.30pm local time at the weekend.

“This individual died of a gunshot wound of the abdomen,” the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office said yesterday. “Manner of death is homicide.”

The 40-year-old from Sydney had called police to report screams and what she believed was a woman being sexually assaulted outside her home.

“Her family and I have been provided with almost no additional information from law enforcement regarding what happened after police arrived,” Don Damond said. “It is difficult to fathom how to go forward without her in my life.” Neighbour Joan Hargrave called the killing “an execution” and said there was no reason for a well-trained officer to see Damond as a threat.

Damond had reportedly approached the driver’s side window of the police car when it arrived. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating. The BCA have confirmed officer Noor and his partner’s body cameras weren’t on and their police car dashboard camera didn’t capture the incident. Once the investigation is complete, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman will decide whether to lay charges.— AAP