The Latest: Governor seeks info on state work in Damond case
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Latest on a Minneapolis police officer being convicted of murder and manslaughter in the fatal shooting of an unarmed woman who had called 911 (all times local):
3:25 p.m.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says he's asked for information from the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on how it investigated a Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed an unarmed woman.
Walz said Wednesday he needs to understand what happened and how the BCA's work might need to be improved. He says he expects the BCA to follow best practices and follow the law when it investigates officer-involved shootings.
The BCA came under criticism for its early handling of the investigation into the 2017 death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond. Former officer Mohamed Noor was convicted of murder Tuesday.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman complained during the investigation that BCA agents weren't doing their jobs. But he said Tuesday that the BCA brought in new agents who did exemplary work.
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10:30 a.m.
Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar says a guilty verdict for a Minneapolis police officer who shot and killed a woman who had called 911 to report a crime is "an important step towards justice" and a victory for people who oppose police brutality.
But Omar also says in a tweet Wednesday that Mohamed Noor's conviction in the death of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, a white woman, comes after acquittals nationwide for officers who killed people of color. Noor is Somali American, as is Omar.
Noor shot Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia, in July 2017 when she approached his squad car after summoning officers to a possible rape behind her home.
Omar says there must be the same level of accountability in all officer-involved killings.
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