The mystery of why a US police officer shot dead Australian bride-to-be Justine Damond in her pyjamas in an alley could be explained by the possible setting off of fireworks in the Minneapolis suburb at the time she was gunned down.
A source with knowledge of Minneapolis law enforcement, who asked not to be identified, told AAP on Tuesday it “would be good common sense to investigate” the fireworks link.
The sound of fireworks may have startled Officer Mohamed Noor, the policeman who fired the fatal bullet.
The reference to fireworks is heard during the police radio conversations between Officer Noor, his partner Officer Matthew Harrity, the police dispatcher co-ordinating the emergency call and other officers rushing to scene.
At one point the dispatcher asks for a precinct sergeant to acknowledge a report of “two shots heard from the east”.
“We heard those sounds from the station,” an officer responds.
“Those are probably aerial fireworks.”
Ms Damond’s heartbroken fiance, Don Damond, spoke out on Monday criticising law enforcement for failing to offer details on why Officer Noor shot the 40-year-old Australian.
Ms Damond, a spiritual healer and life coach originally from Sydney’s northern beaches, called police at 11.28pm on Saturday when she heard a woman’s screams near her Minneapolis house.