$2M Of Justine Ruszczyk Damond Settlement Will Go To Safe Communities Fund

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minneapolis reached a settlement last week with the family of Justine Ruszczyk Damond totaling $20 million. It's the largest settlement of its kind in Minnesota. Now, plans are moving forward to use some of the money for good.

Former police officer Mohamed Noor shot and killed Ruszczyk Damond and was convicted of third-degree murder last week. Ruszczyk Damond's father and brother are receiving $20 million from the city of Minneapolis as part of a civil settlement, and $2 million will go to a community nonprofit.

Ruszczyk Damond often took the helm at Lake Harriet Spiritual Community offering lessons on peace and respect. It's that spirit that her family wanted to bring into the negotiation room.

"She was about peacefulness, about love, about people caring for each other," said Robert Bennett, the attorney who represented the Ruszczyk family.

Bennett took that in mind when agreeing to give $2 million of the $20 million awarded in her wrongful death settlement. Bennett said Ruszczyk Damond's dad and brother were on board with the donation.

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"They were more than OK. They were endorsing it, they wanted to do it and they were happy to do it," Bennett said.

Bennett says Ruszczyk Damond's father and brother decided to donate to the nonprofit Minneapolis Fund, specifically the fund for safe communities.

The Foundation says contributions to this fund support tangible actions to prevent gun violence, particularly efforts led by young people.

Bennett says a similar settlement donation was made in the case of Abby Taylor, who died in a pool drain accident. Since then, awareness has ballooned and so has water safety.

"I use those things to talk about what can be done with that kind of money," Bennett says.

Now, the Ruszczyk family hopes their money will make their case the last of its kind.

Bennett says he reached out to the Minneapolis Foundation today. Together, they will decide what specific work will be done to reduce gun violence in Ruszczyk Damond's name.