Justine Damond's family react to verdict after officer found guilty of murder
The father of slain Australian woman Justine Ruszczyk Damond says he's satisfied with the guilty verdict for US police officer Mohamed Noor over her shooting death.
A Minnesota jury found Noor, 33, guilty of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter after deliberating for less than a day.
He was found not guilty of second-degree murder.
Ms Damond, 40, formerly of Sydney, was shot dead by Noor on July 15, 2017, when she approached his police vehicle in an alley behind her Minneapolis home. She had called 911 amid fears a woman was being sexually assaulted.
Speaking in Minneapolis soon after the verdict was handed down, her father John Ruszczyk described the "painful journey" undertaken by Ms Damond's family and loved ones since her death.
"We are satisfied with the outcome," he told reporters.
"The jury's decision reflected the community's commitment to three important pillars of a civil society: the rule of law, the respect for the sanctity of life, and the obligation of the police force to serve and protect.
"We believe this guilty verdict strengthen those pillars. We hope this will be a catalyst for further change."
Don Damond, Ms Damond’s fiancé, said there was a “tragic lapse of care” on the night she was killed.
"This case is about Justine, and Justine lived to teach us about love," he said.
Mr Ruszczyk noted the guilty verdict was reached despite the "active resistance" of a number of police officers, including the head of the union.
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