In Wake Of Mohamed Noor Verdict, Ilhan Omar Calls For Same 'Accountability & Justice' In All Police Shootings

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Rep. Ilhan Omar responded Wednesday to the conviction of ex-Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor, saying that the same "level of accountability and justice" must be found for all people killed by police.

The congresswoman, whose district includes Minneapolis, released a statement on Twitter, highlighting that Noor was the first police officer in Minnesota history to be convicted in an on-duty fatal shooting.

"It cannot be lost, however, that it comes in the wake of acquittals for officers who took the lives of people of color," she said, adding: "We must have the same level of accountability and justice in all officer-involved killings and address violence-based training for police officers."

On Tuesday, a jury of 10 men and two women (six of them people of color) found Noor guilty of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter in the 2017 shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond.

On the night of the shooting, Damond had called 911 about a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her south Minneapolis home. In court, Noor testified that he shot Damond after a hearing a loud noise and seeing a woman lift her hand outside the squad car. Prosecutors disputed there was a noise and argued that Noor had no reason to shoot a 40-year-old yoga teacher in her pajamas.

In the wake of Noor's conviction, activists said they weren't surprised by the jury's decision, adding that Noor's race was a significant factor.

John Thompson, an activist and friend of Philando Castile, a black man who died in a 2016 police shooting in Falcon Heights, told The Associated Press that "Officer Noor was going to jail no matter what because he's a black man who shot a white woman."

The officer who shot Castile, Jeronimo Yanez, was charged with manslaughter and dangerous discharge of a firearm but later acquitted of all charges.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.