Australian woman shot dead by cop in United States

Minneapolis: An investigation is underway in an incident where an Australian woman was shot dead by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday.

A 40-year-old woman, identified as Justine Damond in local media reports, was killed by an officer while responding to a 911 call which the woman made to report a possible assault in the alley behind her home Saturday night was fatally shot by a Minneapolis police officer.

The Star Tribune quoting sources said that two officers in one squad car, responding to the 911 call, pulled into the alley.

 Damond, in her pajamas, went to the driver's side door and was talking to the driver. 

The officer in the passenger seat pulled his gun and shot Damond through the driver's side door, sources said.

Authorities have not released the woman's name, but it was confirmed by people at the scene.

The Minneapolis Police confirmed that the two officers involved are on paid administrative leave, which is a standard procedure.

Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges said, in a press conference, that at some point, one of the officers fired a weapon, killing the woman. 

The officers were wearing body cameras, but they were not turned on during the incident, he added.

Damond, who is from Sydney and who also went by the name Justine Ruszczyk, was engaged to be married next month to an American man.