Officer accused of shooting Australian 'healer' identified

MINNEAPOLIS — The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office says Justine (Ruszczyk) Damond died of a gunshot wound to her abdomen and ruled her death a homicide.

The Australian woman was shot and killed by Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor late Saturday night in the alley behind her home as police responded to a suspected assault call.

Noor, a Somali-American police officer who has received recognition from the city's mayor but also has two open complaints against him, was identified Monday as the shooter.

The coroner's report was released Monday night after an emotional day filled with many questions and still few answers.

Damond's fiancé spoke out Monday afternoon, saying he and his family are "utterly devastated," by the loss of the 40-year-old woman. 

Justine Damond, whose maiden name was Justine Ruszczyk, was engaged to be married and already had taken her fiance’s last name, according to the (Minneapolis) Star-Tribune. 

Don Damond read a statement from the front lawn of his home saying he doesn't know how to go on, now that she's gone. 

"Our hearts are broken," he said. "And we are utterly devastated by the loss of Justine."

Damond said Justine Damond initially called 911 to report what she believed was an active sexual assault occurring nearby.

"Sadly, her family and I have been provided almost no additional information from law enforcement regarding what happened after police arrived," he said. "We lost the dearest of people and we are desperate for information."

Details on what led the officer to fatally shoot the woman just before 11:30 p.m. CT Saturday remained unclear Monday.

► Monday:Texas grand jury indicts cop who shot into car, killing teen
► July 11:Cop who killed Philando Castile to be paid $48,500 in buyout

The BCA reiterated that it does not determine whether a law enforcement agency policy was violated — that decision will be reviewed through the department's internal affairs process. 

Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau released a statement Monday afternoon saying, "This is clearly a tragic death."

She said there are a lot of unanswered questions — many of which she's pushing to get the answers to as quickly as possible. 

Noor joined the Minneapolis Police Department in March 2015, was hailed as one of the first Somali officers in the 5th Precinct and was honored in May 2016 for his community policing work. But he also has two complaints against him, still pending, from earlier this year and 2016. 

Both Noor and his partner, whose name has not been released, have been placed on paid administrative leave, said Medaria Arradondo, Minneapolis' assistant police chief.

“We are trying to come to terms with this tragedy and to understand why this has happened,” said the woman's family members in a statement released through Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs.

On Sunday evening, about 50 friends and neighbors gathered at the entrance of an alleyway to mourn Damond. By Monday, flowers also had been left at the scene along with a handwritten sign that asked, “Why did you shoot and kill our neighbor?”

► July 11:Minneapolis police investigating after officer shot 2 dogs
► July 6:Philando Castile's family marks one year since shooting

Neighbor Joan Hargrave called the killing “an execution.” She saw no reason for a well-trained officer to see Damond as a threat.

“This is a tragedy — that someone who’s asking for help would call the police and get shot by the police,” Hargrave said.

Officers’ body cameras were not turned on, and the squad camera did not capture the shooting, state officials said.

"Investigators are attempting to determine whether any video of the incident exists," the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a news release.

It’s not clear why the officers’ body cameras were not turned on.

The department’s policy allows for a range of situations in which officers are supposed to do so, including “any contact involving criminal activity” and before use of force. If a body camera is not turned on before use of force, it’s supposed to be turned on as soon as it’s safe to do so.

Damond’s mother was Australian, and she spent her formative years there, but also spent some of her early childhood in the Buffalo, N.Y, area, said Peter Suffoletto, a cousin of Damond’s father. Damond frequently returned to New York state, and stayed with Suffoletto and his wife, Elaine, in Hamburg, N.Y., as recently as April.

“It’s horrible,” Elaine Suffoletto said. “She was the sweetest soul that I’ve ever met. She was loving and kind, understanding, spiritual, beautiful — and her loss is a loss for all of us.”

Peter Suffoletto added: “She was just a loving free spirit. … We’re devastated, beyond devastated.”

► June 20:Hundreds rally for pregnant mom shot by Seattle police
► June 17:Convictions are rare for officers in police shootings

Neighbors said Damond was a "spiritual healer" who led meditation sessions with dozens of others in Minneapolis. 

She relocated to Minneapolis and worked as a yoga instructor, meditation teacher and personal health and life coach, according to her business website. 

She originally was trained as a veterinarian, and her website says she was “most passionate about supporting individuals and organizations to discover the power and potential within their own brains and hearts.”

At a Sunday press conference, Mayor Betsy Hodges said she is "heartsick" over the shooting.

"Like you, I have a lot of questions," she said. "I have a lot of questions about why the body cameras weren't on. ... Questions I hope and anticipate will be answered in the next few days."

Zach Damond, 22, son of the woman's fiancé, Don Damond, said the couple was to be married in August.

"Basically, my mom's dead because a police officer shot her for reasons I don't know, and I demand answers," he said.

Contributing: The Associated Press. Follow Gordon Severson and Lou Raguse on Twitter: @GordonSeverson and @LouRaguse