The fiance of murdered Australian woman Justine Damond Ruszczyk has recalled their final conversation before she was shot dead by a police officer, as he calls for sweeping policing reforms.
Don Damond, who was set to marry the 40-year-old Australian life coach and yoga instructor, told CBS news her shooting murder by Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor was a "policing issue".
Justine Damond Ruszczyk's fiance, Don Damond, is calling for US police officers to be retrained. Source: AAP
"I would like the Minneapolis Police Department to go back and consider how officers are trained," Mr Damond told CBS.
"I can understand where Black Lives Matter is so angry, because you can see the unjustified shooting across this nation, but this is a blue issue."
Noor, 33, was found guilty of Ms Damond Ruszczyk's murder just last week, almost two years after she was fatally shot.
On that night, Ms Damond Ruszczyk called 911 to report what she believed to be a possible sexual assault in a lane near their home.
But Mr Damond told CBS News she phoned him first, in what would become the couple's final conversation.
Don Damond speaks with well-wishers at a memorial held for Justine. Source: AAP
"My first thought was I want her to be safe, and so I said 'I think just stay put and call 911 and then call me back'," he said.
"And probably six, seven minutes later, I texted her having not heard from her, I said 'tell me what's going on', and at this point she was already gone.
"I cannot even still get my arms around how this could happen."
Noor later told the court he shot Ms Damond Ruszczyk because he heard a noise outside the police car and feared for his partner's life.
Ex-police officer Mohamed Noor on May 1 before he was jailed over the fatal shooting of Justine Damond Ruszczyk . Source: AAP
Her family have since received a record $A29 million payout from the city of Minneapolis, some of which they will donate to a Minneapolis foundation aimed at addressing gun violence.
"How can what was learned here be taken to change and address policing in this country?" Mr Damond asked in the televised interview.
"There needs to be changes made so no one has to go through this - so no one ever has to experience what we experienced."
Mr Damond told CBS News the guilty verdict had given him and the rest of Ms Damond Ruszczyk's family some closure.
"I broke down crying - it was the acknowledgment of how tragic this is, how wrong this is, how unjust it was," he said.
"I'm coping, but I am one day at a time."
Noor was taken into custody after the verdict was handed down to await sentencing.
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