[StarTribune] Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman is convening a grand jury to gather evidence in the 2017 shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, but said he still will decide whether Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor
| ...first Somali-American on the Minneapolis police force, he was put through the fast track training for college grads. The day of the shooting, with almost two years experience he was the senior man in the car... |
will face charges in her death.
About 35 to 40 Minneapolis police officers have been subpoenaed to testify, according to Bob Kroll, president of the Minneapolis Police Federation, the union that represents the department's rank-and-file officers. Among them was Matthew Harrity,
| ...the junior officer in the car... |
Noor's partner the night Damond was killed, and the only living witness aside from Noor. His attorney, Fred Bruno, said Harrity was served Wednesday.
Freeman's decision to use a grand jury is the latest turn in a case that has gained international attention since July 15, when Noor shot and killed Damond, 40, an Australia native, after she reported a possible assault behind her south Minneapolis home.
Harrity told investigators that on the night of the shooting that he and Noor were responding to a sexual assault report behind Damond's south Minneapolis home and were startled by a loud sound, according to a press released issued by the BCA three days after the shooting. Immediately afterward Damond Ruszczyk approached the driver's side window of the squad, according to the BCA. Noor, sitting in the passengers seat, pulled his gun and fired, hitting Damond through the open driver's side window.
Noor declined to be interviewed by the BCA.
"Unless someone else comes forward, the BCA does not have additional interviews scheduled at this time," the agency said in its July 18 news release. A few days later agency investigators spoke to a bicyclist who was seen immediately before the shooting and later watched as police attempted to resuscitate Damond.
The agency turned the case over to Freeman on Sept. 12.
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