Justine Damond spent her last moments trying to help a stranger.
At 11:27 on Saturday night, Damond called police to report a possible sexual assault, according to a 911 transcript obtained by the Star Tribune Wednesday.
"I'm not sure if she's having sex or being raped," Damond told the operator. After giving her address, Damond continued: "I think she just yelled out 'help,' but it's difficult the sound has been going on for a while, but I think, I don't think she's enjoying it."
"OK," said the operator, "I've already got an officer on the way."
About eight minutes later, Damond called 911 again to make sure they got her address right. She repeated the report of hearing a woman screaming, and the operator assured her the officers were en route.
"Thank you," said Damond.
Moments later, one of those officers would fatally shoot her.
Damond's death lit off international controversy in the days since the shooting, including in her native Australia, where the Prime Minister called it a "shocking" and "inexplicable" killing and demanded answers. As the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigates, details have been scarce, and the 911 call further explains why the officers were there in the first place. The city also released police and incident reports Wednesday, though they contain limited public information while the shooting is still under investigation.
When the responding officers, Matthew Harrity and Mohamed Noor, arrived in the alley behind her house, they saw Damond approaching the driver's side door, according to preliminary BCA findings released Tuesday. Harrity heard a loud noise, he told investigators, and Noor shot from the passenger's seat and out the window, striking Damond in the abdomen. She died on scene minutes later.
Noor has refused to be interviewed by BCA agents.
In a news conference Tuesday, Minneapolis Police Asst. Chief Medaria Arradondo officers at the scene canvassed the area and did not locate any suspects.
Andy Mannix • 612-673-4036
