Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau Resigns In Wake Of Justine Damond Shooting

Justine Ruszczyk, 40, who went by her fiancé Don Damond’s last name, was killed by a police officer on July 15 after she called 911 to report what she believed was a sexual assault occurring near her home. I asked Chief Harteau for her resignation, she tendered it, and I have accepted it, ‘ Hodges said.

He has been with the department two years and in that time had already been the subject of two complaints and one lawsuit brought by a woman who alleged he brutalized her.

Damond, 40, who has been living in the US since 2015, was fatally shot in the abdomen by one of the police officers who responded to her 911 call.

The death of the Sydney native, 40, from a gunshot wound to the abdomen fired through an open window of a patrol auto by Officer Mohamad Noor, has prompted outrage from her relatives and the Minneapolis and Australian public.

Ms Damond, originally from Sydney, was shot when she approached a police auto after reporting a suspected rape.

The protesters were particularly angry about the lack of body camera footage of the shooting, and complained of a lack of police accountability. The squad vehicle dash camera was also not turned on.

“If that’s the excuse they want to use to shoot people, I guess they can use any excuse they want, we’re all in danger”, the attorney said.

“The information the BCA has shared today gets us closer to having answers, closer to seeing justice done”.

This should not have happened, ‘ Harteau said during a press conference.

Due to another police shooting in Minneapolis, hundreds rallied Thursday, including Valerie Castile, the mother of fellow police shooting victim Philando Castile, to honor Damond and protest police violence.

Abdirizak Bihi, another community advocate, said when other officers have fatally shot people, city leaders have typically reserved judgment until all facts are in and the police union has stood up for the officers. Harteau resigned earlier Friday after Hodges asked her to step down.

Hodges returned to the microphone about 20 minutes later, after the protesters left, and announced that Assistant Chief Medaria “Rondo” Arradondo will move into Harteau’s job.

Harteau on Thursday responded to criticism that she did not return immediately to the city after the shooting. When she took over, my membership had high hopes for her but that quickly faded within her first 6 months.

Watch video of the police chief’s full statement.

In a statement, Harteau said the incident did not reflect the procedures that her department had put in place.

The four candidates challenging Hodges for the mayor’s seat in November had a harsher response to Harteau’s absence.

And it didn’t help that Harteau was out of town when Damond was killed.

Harteau was also featured in a 1990 episode of the television show “Cops” as camera crews followed her and a partner on the beat.

Some Minneapolis City Council members were calling for major changes in the police department, including a new chief, in the wake of an incident where a police officer shot and killed a 911 caller.

Harteau has come under pressure after last weekend’s shooting of an Australian woman by an officer who was responding to the woman’s 911 call.

“There’s a crisis of confidence in the mayor, with police shootings and increasing violent crime”, he said.

From Sunday until noon Friday, the city had logged 55 complaints to its civil rights division, many expressing concern or anger about the shooting.

Candidates Tom Hoch and Ray Dehn, a state representative, both questioned why Hodges hasn’t been spending more time in the community since the shooting.