Community gathers to reflect, remember on first anniversary of Justine Ruszczyk's death
Sunday marked one year since Justine Ruszczyk was fatally shot by a Minneapolis police officer.
Ruszczyk, who also went by Justine Damond, was shot after she placed a 911 call to report hearing a possible sexual assault near her home in South Minneapolis.
Friends and family gathered Sunday afternoon at the place where she lost her life to remember Ruszczyk and to discuss events that have happened in the year since her death.
Neighbor Sarah Kuhnen was among a few dozen friends and activists who took part.
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"Justine, through her spiritual teachings and warm personality, made a lasting impression on everyone she met," Kuhnen said.
In the year since the Ruszczyk's death, Kuhnen and others from the neighborhood have become activists on her behalf, attending City Council meetings and marches, and creating a group called Justice for Justine.
"Justice for Justine has met nearly every week to honor the life of Justine and advocate for what she would want for a safer and more just society around policing," Kuhnen said.
Ruszczyk, 40, was a yoga and meditation teacher who was days away from marrying her fiance Don Damond when she was shot and killed last July 15.
According to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor and his partner responded to Ruszczyk's 911 call. After his partner was surprised by a loud noise, Noor shot from the squad car's passenger seat and through the open driver's side window, killing Ruszczyk.
The shooting sparked international outrage, especially in Ruszczyk's home country of Australia. It led to the resignation of then-Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau.
The shooting also brought heightened attention to the Minneapolis Police Department's body camera policy, after it was revealed Noor and his partner both had not turned on their body cameras before the shooting.
On Sunday, activist and former Minneapolis NAACP head Nekima Levy-Pounds expressed frustration over other police shootings that happened before and after Ruszczyk's death.
She said that on Saturday, she attended the funeral of 31-year-old Thurman Blevins, who was killed by Minneapolis police officers on June 23 on the city's north side.
On Friday, Carver County sheriff's deputies shot and killed 16-year-old Archer Amorosi outside his family home in Chanhassen.
Both shootings are being investigated by the BCA.
Levy-Pounds said the shootings show not much has improved in terms of police and community relations since Ruszczyk's death, particularily in the Twin Cities.
"That's the question that is constantly in our minds, is 'Who is next?' " Levy-Pounds said. "Part of why we ask that is because the underlying issues have never been solved."
Mohamed Noor is no longer on the Minneapolis police force.
Noor is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the death of Ruszczyk. A court document filed earlier this year indicated that Noor plans to plead not guilty.
He is due back in court in late September.
Correction (July 16, 2018): Bethany Bradley was misidentified in captions within the photo gallery. The captions have been updated.
