Former Mpls. cop Noor released from jail in Ruszczyk shooting case

Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor leaves jail
Former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor leaves the Hennepin County jail after posting bail Wednesday night, flanked by his attorney, Thomas Plunkett (left) and news reporters.
Courtesy KARE-TV

Updated 10:01 p.m. | Posted 4 a.m.

Nearly eight hours after his first court appearance Wednesday, former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor was released from the Hennepin County jail.

Officer Mohamed Noor
Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor has been charged with third-degree murder in the shooting death of 911 caller Justine Ruszczyk last summer.
Courtesy of Hennepin County Sheriff's Office

According to jail records, Noor posted the $400,000 bond that a Hennepin County judge set for him Wednesday.

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Noor faces third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter charges in the shooting death of Justine Ruszczyk after responding to her 911 call last July.

Noor's first court appearance drew a crowd. The courtroom was filled and deputies turned people away at the door, including some reporters and a group of Noor's family members. Security was heavy.

Noor's bail order came with conditions that he have no contact with officer Matthew Harrity, his partner the night of the Ruszczyk call and that he give up his passport and not possess guns.

If he had decided not to agree to the conditions, Noor's bail would be set at $500,000.

His next court appearance is scheduled for May 8 at 8:30 a.m.

Attorneys Peter Wold, left, and Thomas Plunkett, right.
Attorneys Peter Wold, left, and Thomas Plunkett, right, walk to the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility for the first hearing in the trial of Mohamed Noor in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
Evan Frost | MPR News

Noor's attorney declined to comment but said he expected to put out a statement later.

Late Wednesday night, the Somali-American Police Association released a statement expressing their sympathy for Justine Ruszczyk's family, their support for Noor and their disappointment in Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman's decision to charge him.

"We believe these charges are baseless and politically motivated, if not racially motivated as well," the statement said.

Freeman announced the charges Tuesday. Noor had turned himself in a few hours earlier after an arrest warrant was issued. He remains in custody at the Hennepin County jail.

Minneapolis police said that Tuesday was Noor's last day on the force. He turned himself in Tuesday on the charges and was booked into the Hennepin County jail.