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'Why Didn't I Stay On The Phone With Her?' Don Damond Struggles Over Final Call To Justine

Meanwhile Mohamed Noor has still not spoken to investigators.
Supplied/Reuters

The heartbroken fiancé of Australian woman Justine Damond says he is still struggling with the circumstances of her shooting death in Minneapolis, asking himself: "Why didn't I stay on the phone with her?"

Don Damond received a call from Justine about strange noises heard behind the couple's home. Justine had feared she was hearing a sexual assault, and Don Damond told her to hang up and call the police.

Justine Damond, a trained veterinary surgeon yoga instructor, was shot in the stomach and killed after Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor allegedly shot across his partner, Matthew Harrity, after Damond called police when she feared she heard a sexual assault.

"I have played this over in my head over and over," Damond told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

"Why didn't I stay on the phone with her?"

Noor has remained silent over the shooting, resisting calls from even his own department to speak publicly about what happened. Meanwhile, friends of Justine Damond have pleaded for the officer to come forward.

Don Damond is comforted by his son Zach Damond as he speaks to the media about his fiance, Justine Damond was fatally shot by Minneapolis police on July 17.
Adam Bettcher / Reuters
Don Damond is comforted by his son Zach Damond as he speaks to the media about his fiance, Justine Damond was fatally shot by Minneapolis police on July 17.

"Have a heart man. There's just families involved. Your family's involved, our family's involved, our friends are involved," Tom Hyder told the ABC's 7.30 Report.

"Yes, you have a legal right [to refuse to be interviewed], but just say what happened. There are people involved here."

I will continue to say to the Australians, to you, what I've been saying all week, which is this is awful and heartbreaking, I send my condolences,Mayor Betsy Hodges

Police Chief Janee Harteau resigned amid widespread scrutiny following the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.

While Harteau's decision to step down came at the behest of the city's Mayor Betsy Hodges, protesters chanted "Bye, bye Betsy" and "Messy Betsy", calling for her own resignation and forcing Hodges to bring the press conference to a halt.

A memorial is reportedly being planned for Ms Damond in Minneapolis and is expected to be held early next month.

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