Minneapolis, MN
Ex-Minneapolis officer who killed 911 caller to be released
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The previous Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an unarmed lady who referred to as 911 to report a doable sexual assault within the alley behind her house is scheduled to be launched from jail subsequent week, months after his homicide conviction was overturned and he was resentenced on a lesser cost.
Mohamed Noor, 36, is scheduled to be launched from custody Monday, 18 days shy of the fifth anniversary of the July 15, 2017, deadly taking pictures of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a 40-year-old twin U.S.-Australian citizen and yoga trainer who was engaged to be married.
Noor was initially convicted of third-degree homicide and manslaughter, however final 12 months the Minnesota Supreme Courtroom tossed out his homicide conviction and 12 1/2-year sentence, saying the homicide cost didn’t apply to the circumstances of this case. He was resentenced to 4 years and 9 months on the manslaughter cost.
In Minnesota, it’s presumed {that a} defendant with good habits will serve two-thirds of a sentence in jail and the remainder on supervised launch, generally often called parole. The DOC’s web site says Noor will likely be on supervised launch till Jan. 24, 2024.
Damond’s father, John Ruszczyk, stated Friday that the household was disenchanted that Noor’s third-degree homicide conviction was overturned.
“His launch after a trivial sentence reveals nice disrespect to the desires of the jury who represented the communities of Minneapolis and their want to make a press release in regards to the communities’ expectations of police habits and actions,” Ruszczyk wrote in response to emailed questions from The Related Press.
Damond’s stepmother, Maryan Heffernan, stated in a telephone interview that the timing of Noor’s launch — so near the anniversary of Damond’s dying — is painful.
“We’re very disenchanted. However we’re not shocked. We’ve been watching occasions in Minneapolis from miles away and we’re nonetheless bewildered in regards to the cost being dropped and we’re nonetheless bewildered in regards to the tradition of the Minneapolis Police Division,” Heffernan stated, including that she believes Noor was the product of a “very dysfunctional division.”
After his conviction, Noor started serving his time at Minnesota’s maximum-security jail in Oak Park Heights, however the Star Tribune reported he was transferred to a facility in North Dakota in July 2019 for his personal security. Division of Corrections spokesman Nicholas Kimball stated Noor remains to be out of state, however didn’t specify the place.
“For security causes, we aren’t capable of present extra element than what is on the market on the general public web site, which is the scheduled date of launch,” Kimball stated.
It wasn’t clear whether or not Noor would return to Minnesota. His legal professional, Tom Plunkett, declined to remark, saying, “at this level I simply need to respect Mr. Noor’s privateness.”
Damond’s killing angered residents within the U.S. and Australia, and led to the resignation of Minneapolis’ police chief. It additionally led the division to vary its coverage on physique cameras; Noor and his associate didn’t have theirs activated once they had been investigating Damond’s 911 name.
Noor testified at his 2019 trial that he and his associate had been driving slowly in an alley when a loud bang on their police SUV made him worry for his or her lives. He stated he noticed a lady seem on the associate’s driver’s aspect window and lift her proper arm earlier than he fired a shot from the passenger seat to cease what he thought was a menace.
Damond was a meditation trainer and life coach who was killed a few month earlier than her wedding ceremony. Her maiden identify was Justine Ruszczyk, and although she was not but married, she had already been utilizing her fiance’s final identify.
Her fiance, Don Damond, declined to touch upon Noor’s upcoming launch, however stated throughout Noor’s resentencing that he had forgiven the previous officer, and that he had little doubt Justine additionally would have forgiven him “on your incapacity in managing your feelings that night time.”
Noor, who’s Somali American, was believed to be the primary Minnesota officer convicted of homicide for an on-duty taking pictures. Activists who had lengthy referred to as for officers to be held accountable for the lethal use of drive applauded the homicide conviction.
Since Noor’s conviction, former Minneapolis Officer Derek Chauvin, who’s white, was convicted of homicide within the Could 2020 killing of George Floyd, a Black man who was pinned to the pavement below Chauvin’s knee. Chauvin’s colleague, Thomas Lane, pleaded responsible to aiding and abetting manslaughter, whereas two different officers are awaiting trial on costs of aiding and abetting each homicide and manslaughter. All 4 have been convicted on federal costs of violating Floyd’s rights.
In one other case, former Brooklyn Heart Officer Kim Potter was convicted of manslaughter after she stated she mistook her Taser for her handgun when she fatally shot Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black motorist, throughout a site visitors cease final 12 months.
John Ruszczyk stated in his e mail to the AP that his household believes state investigators and the Minneapolis Police Division didn’t totally cooperate with the investigation into his daughter’s killing and he was disturbed by the company’s tradition.
He stated he believes the division accepts utilizing violence as a solution to management difficult conditions, which he stated contributed to her dying. He cited a latest report from the state Division of Human Rights which discovered that the company has engaged in a sample of race discrimination for a minimum of a decade, together with utilizing drive extra typically on individuals of shade. Federal authorities are additionally investigating whether or not the division engaged in a sample of discrimination.
“How may officers exit onto the streets within the roles of defenders of public security and order with the angle to their duties and obligations that enables them to shoot first and ask questions later?” he wrote.
Days after Noor’s conviction, Minneapolis agreed to pay $20 million to Damond’s household, believed on the time to be the biggest settlement stemming from police violence in Minnesota. It was surpassed final 12 months when Minneapolis agreed to a $27 million settlement in Floyd’s dying simply as Chauvin was occurring trial.
The killing of Floyd led to a reckoning over police brutality and discrimination involving individuals of shade. The division is dealing with requires extra accountability and the state is recommending a number of modifications because it seeks a court-enforceable consent decree. Metropolis leaders proceed to debate find out how to change the system.
She stated that at his trial, the household was advised that Damond’s dying would result in change, however when Floyd was killed, “we had been completely shattered as a result of nothing had modified. We felt that Justine’s dying meant nothing … She is forgotten.”
However Heffernan stated that Damond is remembered by individuals in Australia, and her household thinks of her her day by day. On the anniversary of her dying, they go quietly to her favourite seaside and throw pink flowers — her favourite shade — into the surf because the solar is rising.
She additionally stated that after a month through the summer season, her household sends flowers to the positioning of Damond’s killing, in addition to on her birthday and July 15 — the day of her dying.
“She touched lots of people’s hearts, which I feel is sort of wonderful,” Heffernan stated.
__
This story has been up to date to right Noor’s sentence on the manslaughter rely to 4 years and 9 months, not 41 months.
Copyright 2022 The Related Press. All rights reserved.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis man dies of fatal stab wound near bus shelter, suspect arrested
MINNEAPOLIS — A man is in custody after allegedly stabbing another man to death in Minneapolis.
According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, officers arrested a 58-year-old man for a fatal stabbing that occurred near a bus shelter at Nicollet Avenue and South Fifth Street.
A criminal complaint says that on Monday at approximately 11:52 p.m., Minneapolis police officers located a man described to be in his 30’s on the ground and bleeding from potentially life-threatening stab wounds.
Despite offering aid at the scene, the man later succumbed to his injuries on Friday at Hennepin Healthcare.
Police say they tracked the suspect’s movements on camera until he was located and arrested near Colfax Avenue an Lake Street at approximately 12:21 a.m.
The man as taken to Hennepin Healthcare for evaluation of an injury he sustained prior to his arrest. The man was booked into the Hennepin County Jail and later released pending charges from jail on Thursday.
Then, on Friday, the man was formally charged with first-degree assault and an arrest warrant was issued, said a criminal complaint. The man was arrested later that day and remains in police custody.
“I am grateful to the officers and investigators who worked quickly to bring justice for the victim and his family,” said O’Hara. “While nothing can bring back this man, I hope that our work brings some sense of justice for his family during this difficult time.”
Police are still investigating the cause of the stabbing.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis crash: Teniki Steward charged over fatal incident | Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
A devastating high-speed collision in Minneapolis has led to the deaths of two women and injuries to two others, prompting serious charges against Teniki Steward, a 38-year-old Minneapolis resident. The incident, which unfolded at the intersection of Emerson Avenue North and 26th Avenue North, has left the community grappling with the tragic loss and a renewed focus on road safety.
Details of the Incident
According to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Steward was behind the wheel of a Buick Enclave, allegedly traveling at excessive speeds and running multiple red lights before the fatal crash. Authorities report that she narrowly avoided a collision earlier at Emerson Avenue North and Broadway Avenue North. Tragically, moments later, her vehicle struck a Ford Explorer, killing both of its occupants:
- Ester Jean Fulks, 53 years old
- Rose Elaine Reece, 57 years old
The crash also injured a 17-year-old pedestrian waiting for a school bus and a passenger in Steward’s vehicle. Steward herself sustained injuries in the crash.
Background and Charges
Court documents reveal that Steward’s driver’s license had been revoked in November 2023 due to a failure to provide proof of insurance. At the time of the crash, she was operating a vehicle without a valid license, as confirmed by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty addressed the case, emphasizing the preventable nature of the tragedy. “This is another completely avoidable incident of a car being driven irresponsibly with disastrous consequences,” she stated.
Steward is now in custody and faces the following charges:
- Two counts of criminal vehicular homicide
- Two counts of criminal vehicular operation
If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison per count and fines of up to $20,000.
Community Impact and Ongoing Investigation
The crash has reignited discussions about reckless driving and public safety in Minneapolis. Local authorities and community leaders are urging drivers to prioritize safety and adhere to traffic laws to prevent similar tragedies.
The medical conditions of the injured victims have not been disclosed, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing.
A Call for Action
This heartbreaking incident underscores the devastating consequences of reckless driving. As the legal process unfolds, the Minneapolis community mourns the loss of two lives and hopes for justice and healing for all those affected.
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Minneapolis, MN
Red Dragon, beloved Uptown Minneapolis restaurant, closing after nearly half a century
MINNEAPOLIS — The menu offers plenty of options, but fans of the Red Dragon say they’ll miss how the restaurant really nourished their souls.
“It feels like family,” patron Kathleen Spitzer told WCCO. “Everybody — the servers and bartenders — are so nice. It feels like a home away from home.”
Red Dragon’s current owner, Phil Wong, said the restaurant and bar will shut down on Sunday after nearly 50 years in business; it first opened on Dec. 29, 1976.
“People love this place. They like to come here and drink and hang out,” Wong lamented. “I love them all. They show a lot of love to us and they enjoy our establishment.”
According to Wong, 73, finances and his longevity were contributing factors. The former engineer took over the business from his brother in 2007.
“It costs a little bit more — the food, the meat, the vegetables,” he added. “Minneapolis, too, the minimum wage went up.”
Still, Wong said he leaves with no regrets.
“I feel good about it. I think it’s time to move on,” he said. “We’re ending on a good note.”
Red Dragon is the latest of several Twin Cities eateries to shutter in 2024, including the St. Paul staple Tavern on Grand. Even newer restaurants, like Kim’s from award-winning chef Ann Kim, also in Uptown, could not survive.
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