Officer's Mental Records Probed In Damond Fatal Shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Investigators are looking into the mental health and medical records of a Minneapolis police officer who fatally shot an Australian native in July.
A search warrant filed publicly Tuesday shows an investigator with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was seeking investigative background records, including pre-employment psychological exams and unredacted personnel files, of Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor.
Court documents show the city provided investigators with the requested information.
Noor fatally shot 40-year-old Justine Damond on July 15 after she called police to report a possible sexual assault near her house. Damond, who was engaged to be married, was shot as she approached the squad car that Noor and his partner were in. Damond's death drew international attention and led to the forced resignation of the city's police chief.
The search-warrant application, dated Aug. 31, seeks similar information for Noor's partner, Matthew Harrity.
Harrity, who was driving the police vehicle at the time, told investigators that he was startled by a loud sound near the cruiser and, immediately afterward, Damond approached the driver's side window. Harrity told agents that Noor fired his weapon from the passenger seat, hitting Damond.
Once the investigation is complete, the case will be turned over to prosecutors, who have said they expect to make a decision on whether to charge the officers by the end of the year.
Harrity and Noor are on paid administrative leave while the investigation continues.
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