'Never Forget': Justine Ruszczyk Damond's Neighbors Speak Out After Verdict
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The fatal shooting of Justine Ruszczyk Damond in July of 2017 shocked the southwest Minneapolis community where she lived.
When prosecutors charged former Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor, residents of that neighborhood rallied to call attention to police violence.
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Dozens stood in the cold to remember Ruszczyk Damond's life, and the impact her death made on the community. More than a year later, they are sharing the same message.
People here have been deeply affected. Tears fell when WCCO-TV spoke with one woman Tuesday night. Other people we spoke with on camera feel justice was done, but believe change still needs to follow.
"Never forget." Two words written in chalk near a memorial at the alley where Noor shot and killed Ruszczyk Damond. It's something this community can't forget.
There's a sadness, there's a lot of emotion today," said neighbor Ryan Masterson. "It highlights this is just a horrible tragedy for every party involved."
Neighbors felt relief when they learned a jury convicted Noor. The shooting changed the community forever.
"It has just shaken us to our core, right? We are taught and brought up to go to the police when there's a problem, and to do the right thing as Justine was doing that evening, and I would think twice," said a neighbor named Marsha.
Marilou Sethre felt compelled to walk by the area to pay her respects on the day there was Justice for Justine
"The jurors did the right thing," Sethre said.
But she couldn't move past a sadness for Noor and his family.
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"I felt very sorry for him, and I'm sorry that he even became a police officer," Sethre said.
Neighbors say what happened has brought them closer together and made them stronger. This helps them begin to move forward.
"There's still a lot of healing," Masterson said. "This is kind of like opening up a wound that's not yet closed, so I think just one day at a time."
People shared this is devastating for everyone involved. And in the midst of Tuesday's emotion, some neighbors reaffirmed their call for changes with policing.
