Geelong Advertiser

Justine’s ashes to return to Australia

- MATHEW MURPHY IN MINNEAPOLI­S

JUSTINE Damond’s ashes will be returned to Australia with the full blessing of her American fiance, it has been revealed.

Ten days after she was shot dead by Minneapoli­s cop Mohamed Noor, News Corp has learned an agreement has been struck between fiance Don Damond and her father John Ruszczyk to have her body cremated and her ashes returned to her home country.

It came as Minnesota resi- dents mocked the state’s police officers in a series of bizarre street signs saying: “Warning: Twin cities police easily startled.” The signs, which authoritie­s last night began to remove, were a reference to the July 15 shooting.

Damond family spokesman Tom Hyder said a memorial for the life coach is expected to be held in August in Minnesota.

Mr Hyder has denied there is a split between Ms Damond’s family on Sydney’s northern beaches and her fiance in the US. “The Damonds and Justine’s family in Australia are in agreement about what happens after her memorial,” he said.

Ms Damond, 40, was killed after calling police about a possible sexual assault she heard in the alley behind her home. When she approached the driver’s side door of the police car, officer Noor fired once across his partner Matthew Harrity, hitting Ms Damond in the abdomen. She died at the scene.

A search warrant filed by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehensi­on states that a woman approached the back of a Minneapoli­s police car and “slapped” it.

The warrant notes: “After that, it is unknown to BCA agents what exactly happened, but the female became deceased in the alley.”

 ??  ?? Justine Damond
Justine Damond

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia