MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A timeline of key moments in the July 15, 2017, fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond, an unarmed woman who had called 911 to report a possible crime, and the trial of former Minneapolis police Officer Mohamed Noor:
July 15, 2017 - Damond calls 911 to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home. Officers Matthew Harrity and Mohamed Noor respond and, finding nothing, they prepare to leave when Harrity is startled by a loud noise near the squad car. Noor, in the passenger seat, shoots past Harrity, striking Damond through the driver’s side window.
July 16 - Hundreds gather in Damond’s southwest Minneapolis neighborhood to mourn. Mayor Betsy Hodges says she is “heartsick” and “deeply disturbed” by the shooting. State investigators say officers had not turned on their body cameras and that squad car video didn’t capture the shooting.
July 17 - An autopsy shows that Damond, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Australia, died of a gunshot to the abdomen. The officer who shot her is identified as Mohamed Noor, a Somali American with less than two years of experience who became an officer after working in property management.
July 18 - State investigators say Noor declined to be interviewed.
July 20 - Police Chief Janee Harteau makes her first remarks on the shooting, saying it “should not have happened” but defending Noor’s training. She says the city is reviewing its policy on body cameras and wants them to be used more often.
July 21 - Harteau resigns at Hodges’ request after the mayor says she no longer has confidence in the chief. Hodges names Assistant Chief Medaria Arradondo to take over. At a news conference to discuss the change, Hodges is shouted down by protesters who say she should resign, too.
July 26 - Arradondo announces changes to the Minneapolis Police Department’s body camera policy that will require officers to turn them on when responding to all calls and whenever they initiate traffic stops or take other actions.
Sept. 12 - The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation hands its findings to Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman’s office.
Nov. 18 - City Councilman Jacob Frey defeats Hodges in an election that was influenced in part by police-community relations.
Dec. 13 - Freeman is captured on video saying he doesn’t have enough evidence to charge Noor, blaming investigators “who haven’t done their job.”
Dec. 28 - Freeman says he’ll miss a self-imposed deadline for deciding on charges by the year’s end because he needs more time. He soon convenes a grand jury and subpoenas other officers to compel them to tell what they know, but says he still intends to make his own decision on charges.
March 20, 2018 - Noor is charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter and is fired. A count of second-degree intentional murder is added later.
July 23 -The Damond family files a $50 million lawsuit against Noor and the city. That case is later put on hold while the criminal case proceeds.
March 1, 2019 - Noor pleads not guilty.
April 8 - Jury of 12 men, four women seated on sixth day of jury selection. Twelve will decide the case while four will be alternates.
April 9 - Opening statements heard. Defense attorney Peter Wold says Noor was reacting to a loud noise and feared an ambush when he fatally shot Damond. Wold says the ex-officer used reasonable force to protect himself and his partner. A prosecutor questioned a key part of one officer’s account.
April 25 - Noor takes the stand , making his first public statements since Damond’s death. Noor says he saw fear in his partner’s eyes, then saw a woman in a pink shirt with blond hair appear at the partner’s window and raise her right arm before he fired his gun “to stop the threat.”
April 29 - Closing arguments delivered. Defense attorney Thomas Plunkett argues that Noor fatally shot Damond because he was caught up in “a perfect storm” of events but “acted as he was trained.” Prosecutors counter that Noor was responsible for “a tragic event of his own making” and they urged jurors to find Noor guilty on all counts. The jurors deciding Noor’s fate - 10 men and two women - get the case after three weeks of testimony. They are sequestered until reaching a verdict. They deliberate about five hours.
April 30 - Jurors deliberat e six hours on their second day with the case. They convict Noor of third-degree murder and manslaughter, and acquit him on the more serious charge of second-degree intentional murder.
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Check out the AP’s complete coverage of Mohamed Noor’s trial.
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