Hundreds honor Justine Damond at memorial

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Hundreds of people gathered for the memorial of Justine Damond, an Australian woman who was killed in an officer-involved shooting in south Minneapolis last month.

"Justine should not have died. This is wrong on every level,” said John Ruszcyk, Justine’s father. "Justine was exploring our spiritual nature and teaching love and compassion. We need that kind of person with us.”

It was an emotional evening of prayer and remembrance at the Lake Harriet Band Shell.

“Justine, my daughter, was killed by a bullet fired by an agent of the state,” said Ruszcyk. “I don’t understand. I should have been on a plane to her wedding when I was flying to her funeral. We should be walking arm and arm down the footpath smiling and now each step is so very painful.”

“I love her, I cherish her,” said Don Damond, her fiancé. “I so adore her. I have immense gratitude for being the one she chose

In addition to speeches given by her family members, they honored Justine with poetry reading, a guitar performance and a May Pole.

The evening culminated with a silent walk around Lake Harriet.