A Minneapolis police officer who shot dead an unarmed Australian yoga teacher in her pyjamas after responding to her 911 call has been charged with murder.

Officer Mohamed Noor, 32, turned himself in Tuesday morning and is held on murder and manslaughter charges for gunning down 40-year-old Justine Damond on July 15.

He shot Justine in the stomach when she approached his squad car minutes after she called police to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home.

Charging documents reveal Justine said 'I'm dead' or 'I'm dying' as she clasped her stomach after being shot. She was given CPR by the officers but died at the scene.

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Police officer Mohamed Noor has been charged with murder over the shooting of Justine Damond (pictured)

Noor (pictured) shot Justine in the stomach when she approached his squad car minutes after she called police to report a possible sexual assault in the alley behind her home

State prosecutor and head of the County Attorney's office, Mike Freeman, said that there was 'no evidence' that Noor was threatened by Justine (pictured, right with her fiance Don)

Justine (pictured) said 'I'm dead' or 'I'm dying' as she clasped her stomach after being shot, charging documents reveal

State prosecutor and head of the County Attorney's office, Mike Freeman, said that there was 'no evidence' that Noor was threatened by Justine.

'In the short time between when Ms Damond-Ruszczyk approached the squad car and the time Officer Noor fired the fatal shot, there is no evidence that officer Noor encountered a threat, appreciated a threat, investigated a threat or confirmed a threat that justified his decision to use deadly force,' he said.

'Instead, Officer Noor recklessly and intentionally fired his handgun from the passenger seat in disregard for human life. Such actions violate the criminal law.'

Justine's family said in a written statement that they're pleased that Mr Freeman decided to bring charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

They said they hope a strong case will be presented and Noor will be convicted, calling the charges 'one step toward justice for this iniquitous act'.

'No charges can bring our Justine back,' Justine's father John Ruszcyzk and Mr Damond said in the joint statement.

Officer Mohamed Noor (left) turned himself in Tuesday morning and is held on murder and manslaughter charges for shooting 40-year-old life coach Justine Ruszczyk Damond (right)

Justine's family said in a written statement that they're pleased that Mr Freeman decided to bring charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter (pictured are Justine and Don Damond)

'However, justice demands accountability for those responsible for recklessly killing the fellow citizens they are sworn to protect, and today's actions reflect that.'

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which is investigating the shooting, said in a statement that he had declined to be interviewed and that his attorney had not said if or when an interview would take place.

However, many of the key parts of Noor's narrative gel with the version of events released by the BCA, who had interviewed his partner, Matthew Harrity.

Justine was unarmed and had called 911 to alert police to what she believed may have been a rape taking place behind her home.

Justine (pictured, left, with her fiance Don) was unarmed and had called 911 to alert police to what she believed may have been a rape taking place in the alley behind her home

Aftermath: Cops closed down the area around the shooting but lack crucial bodycam evidence because neither Noor or Harrity activated theirs, in breach of regulations

Justine Damond, 40, was a yoga teacher for Sydney's Northern Beaches and was engaged

Justine Damond (pictured) called 911 to report a possible rape and was shot by Mohamed Noor

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a friend of Noor's told DailyMail.com that the officer had opened fire when an unidentified figure emerged from the dark and ran towards the vehicle.

The officer said he was not sure what the person was carrying and momentarily opened fire through his driver-partner's open window.

It was confirmed that Justine's cell phone was found alongside her during the tragedy.

Noor told associates it was dark and the situation was already tense as the caller had been 'panicking' when making the 911 call reporting an assault in the alley beyond where Justine lived with her fiancé and his son.

The squad car, driven by his partner Matthew Harrity traveled hastily down the unlit alley between Washburn and Xerxes avenues south from West 50th Street toward West 51st Street.

'No charges can bring our Justine back,' Justine's father John Ruszcyzk (pictured) and Mr Damond said in the joint statement

'Thrown under the bus': Mohamed Noor (pictured, right) says his fellow officers are not backing him

Justine (pictured) was shot as she approached Noor's squad car minutes after she called police

JUSTINE DAMOND SHOOTING - A TIMELINE OF EVENTS July 15 - 11.27pm - Justine Damond calls 911 to report hearing sounds of distress from a girl or woman behind her house. She says it may be a rape. A dispatcher says officers should arrive soon. 11.35pm. - Justine calls 911 again to ask why police haven't arrived yet. She gives the dispatcher the address again. 11.41pm. - Officers Matthew Harrity and Mohamed Noor arrive and drive south down the alley behind Justine's house. Harrity, who is driving, is startled by a loud noise near his squad car. Justine approaches the driver's side window immediately afterward, and Noor allegedly fires his gun past Harrity, striking Justine through that window of the vehicle, according to Harrity in an interview with state investigators. 11.42pm - Radio report of one person down, starting CPR. 11.50pm - Radio report of police doing CPR for 'last four minutes'. 11.51pm - Justine is pronounced dead in the alley at the south end of her block. A medical examiner later says Justine was shot once in the abdomen. July 16 - Hundreds gather in Justine's southwest Minneapolis neighborhood to mourn her death. Mayor Betsy Hodges visits scene, says she is 'heartsick' and 'deeply disturbed' by shooting. State investigators say the officers involved in the shooting had not turned on their body cameras and squad car video didn't capture the shooting. July 17 - An autopsy shows Justine died of a single gunshot wound to the abdomen. Her fiancé Don Damond says the family has been given no information about how the shooting happened. The officer who allegedly shot Justine is identified as Mohamed Noor, a Somali-American with less than two years of experience who became an officer after working in property management. In a statement from his attorney, Noor offers condolences to Justine's family. July 18 - State investigators say Noor declined to be interviewed. They say his partner, Matthew Harrity, told them Harrity was startled by a loud noise right before Justine approached the officers' SUV, and that Noor - in the passenger seat - shot her through the driver's-side window. July 20 - Police Chief Janee Harteau makes first remarks on shooting, says it 'should not have happened' but defends Noor's training. Harteau also says the city is reviewing its policy on body cameras and wants them to be used more often. July 21 - Harteau resigns at Hodges' request after the mayor says she no longer has confidence in the chief. Hodges names Assistant Chief Medaria Arradondo to take over. At a news conference to discuss the change, Hodges is shouted down by protesters who say she should resign, too. August 11 - Justine's family holds a public memorial service in Minneapolis. August 28 - Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman says he expects to decide on charges by year's end. September 12 - Authorities announce that the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation has handed the case over to Freeman's office. November 18 - Council Member Jacob Frey defeats Hodges in the mayor's race. Much of the campaign focused on police-community relations. December 13 - Freeman is caught on video saying he doesn't have enough evidence to charge Noor and blaming investigators 'who haven't done their job'. December 28 - Freeman says he'll miss his self-imposed deadline of deciding on charges by year's end because he needs more time. January 24, 2018 - Attorneys say Freeman convened a grand jury and subpoenaed other officers to compel them to tell what they know. Freeman says he still intends to make his own decision on charges. March 20 - Noor turns himself in to the Hennepin County Jail on charges of third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Bail is set at $500,000. March 21 - Noor appears in court where bail is cut to $400,000 conditional on Noor surrendering his passport and not having contact with Harrity Source: AP Advertisement

Crucially, the vehicle did not have its lights on and this may have been so as not to give any suspect notice that police had arrived and buy precious time to apprehend the target. That the car was unlit was disclosed by Harrity to the BCA.

Both Noor and the BCA's version of events agree on the car's lights being off.

According to Noor's version when they reached the end of the alley, they came across a waiting, panicking figure.

It was dark, and the figure was moving around and approached their vehicle.

Noor said he did not know whether the figure who rushed towards their vehicle was the 911 caller or even if it was a man or woman.

He fired his weapon through Harrity's open driver's window hitting his victim once in the abdomen.

Johanna Morrow plays the didgeridoo during a memorial service for Damond at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis on August 11

Call for answers: Don Damond, Justine's fiance, fought back tears as he said earlier this week that the cops have failed to provide any explanation

The Australian women (pictured) was due to marry her fiance when she was shot dead last July

WHAT NOOR SAID IN PUBLIC THROUGH HIS ATTORNEY 'Officer Noor extends his condolences to the family and anyone else who has been touched by this event. He takes their loss seriously and keeps them in his daily thoughts and prayers. He came to the United States at a young age and is thankful to have had so many opportunities. He takes these events very seriously because, for him, being a police officer is a calling. He joined the police force to serve the community and to protect the people he serves. Officer Noor is a caring person with a family he loves and he empathizes with the loss others are experiencing. The current environment for police is difficult, but Officer Noor accepts this as part of his calling. We would like to say more, and will in the future. At this time, however, there are several investigations ongoing and Officer Noor wants to respect the privacy to the family and asks the same in return during this difficult period.' Advertisement

Both he and Harrity gave CPR to the victim before help and back-up arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.

The charge of third-degree murder carries a maximum of of 25 years in prison, although the presumptive sentence is 12 years.

The second-degree manslaughter charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, and the presumptive sentence is four years.

Noor's bail is set at $500,000, according to jail records.

The friend said Mohamed believed he acted to protect himself and his colleague.

'It was over in seconds and it was a very tense moment. He is sorry for the woman and her family.

CPR was performed on Justice before help and back-up arrived, but she was pronounced dead at the scene

Mourners attend a march in honour of at Beard's Plaissance Park in Minneapolis last July

Justine was unarmed and had called 911 to alert police to what she believed may have been a rape taking place in the alley behind her home

'But he would never have opened fire without genuinely feeling in danger.'

The officer, who is now suspended form the Minneapolis P.D., feels he has been 'thrown under the bus' by his Minneapolis police colleagues, the friend said.

'He is aware that they normally come together at times like this and support each other with slogans like "Blue Lives Matter".

'But in this situation he has realized he is probably alone with his legal team and Somali police colleagues.

'He feels like he is being thrown under the bus and his colleagues are accusing him of not showing proper police conduct on Saturday night.

'His feeling is "I am an immigrant, a Muslim and not white... but that is OK as I know the Somalian community and friends will support me".'

Friends say they would soon be starting fund raising to help meet his legal bills among the Somali community.

John Ruszczyk, father of Justine Damond, holds a press conference with his family in Sydney after the shooting

Don Damond speaks to the media about his fiance, Justine Damond, who was fatally shot by Minneapolis police

They said the reason he had not given an interview to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which is probing the shooting, was that he had been given legal advice not to.

Some of his friends have been shocked at some of the online abuse he has been receiving, however, with remarks claiming Justine would not have been shot by the Somalian-American officer if she had been 'wearing a burka or hijab.'

Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodge said: 'We do have more information, though it's frustrating to have some of the picture but not all of it.

'We cannot compel officer Noor to make a statement; I wish we could. I wish that he would make a statement.'

Police said Harrity had indicated he heard a loud sound near his car, in the seconds before his partner Noor opened fire.

THE FATEFUL 911 CALL WHICH LED TO JUSTINE DAMOND'S DEATH Incident Number: 17-265936 July 15, 2017; 23.27:02 Time: 23:27:02 Operator: 911, what's the address of the emergency? Caller: Hi, I'm, I can hear someone out the back and I, I'm not sure if she's having sex or being raped. Operator: Give me the address. Caller: XXXX Washburn Avenue South. Operator: Washburn Avenue South. You said it's behind (inaudible)? Caller: And there's a (inaudible) out the back, yup, yup. And I think she just yelled out 'help,' but it's difficult the sound has been going on for a while, but I think, I don't think she's enjoying it. I think it's, I don't know. Operator: Okay, already got a call started and help on the way. Uh, you can't see anything, you're just hearing a female screaming then, is that what you're saying? Caller: Yeah. It sounds like sex noises, but it's been going on for a while and I think she tried to say help and it sounds distressed. Operator: Okay, I've already got an officer on the way. What is your name? Caller: JUSTINE. Operator: JUSTINE, what's your last name? Caller: JUSTINE. Operator: JUSTINE. Caller: Yeah. Operator: And a phone number? Caller: REDACTED Operator: Okay, we've already got help on the way. If anything changes before we get there just give us a call right back, but officers should be there soon. Caller: Thanks. Operator: Okay, not a problem. [DAMOND CALLS BACK AT 23.35:23] Operator: 911, what is the address of the emergency? Caller: Hi, I just reported one, but no one's here and was wondering if they got the address wrong. Operator: What's the address? Caller: XXXX Washburn Avenue South. It supposed to be Washburn Avenue South. Operator: Are you JUSTINE? Caller: Yeah, (inaudible). Operator: You're hearing a female screaming? Caller: Yes, along behind the house. Operator: Yup, officers are on the way there. Caller: Thank you. Operator: You're welcome, bye. Advertisement

Investigators are searching for a cyclist who may have important information about the shooting.

He was white, male and aged between 18-25 and may have stopped and seen the aftermath as medical assistance was applied.

The 'twin cities' of Minneapolis and St Paul have been rocked by police shootings in recent years, putting the community and law enforcement on edge.

Last month a police officer was acquitted after he shot Philando Castile during a traffic stop while Castile's girlfriend live-streamed the horrifying incident.

Violent protests also erupted after two officers fatally shot 24-year-old Jamar Clark in 2015 and were not charged.