Tributes flow worldwide for Justine Damond

Family and friends of Justine Damond have held a dawn vigil at a Sydney beach after the Australian was shot dead by US police on the weekend.

A man crouches at the waters edge as family and friends gather on Freshwater Beach following a candlelight vigil

A man crouches at the waters edge as family and friends gather on Freshwater Beach following a candlelight vigil Source: AAP

Justine Damond's grieving family and friends have cast pink flowers into the water at a Sydney beach to remember the spiritual woman shot dead by a police officer in the United States.

People around the world held their own tributes to coincide with the dawn candlelight vigil at Freshwater Beach which came a day after Ms Damond's father asked for "the light of justice to shine down on the circumstances of her death".

Hundreds of the 40-year-old's family and friends gathered under a pink Sydney sky on Wednesday morning as investigators in Minneapolis work to determine why the spiritual healer was shot on Saturday night.

Ms Damond's father, John Ruszczyk, was emotional as the crowd walked to the shoreline at first light to remember the woman who was raised on the Northern Beaches and attended Manly High School.

The meditation teacher and vet was due to marry her American partner, Don Damond, next month.

People from the US, Brazil, Sweden and France posted on a Facebook page promoting the "silent tribute" at Freshwater.

One friend in New York City reported seeing a bird carrying a pink flower outside a Manhattan subway station.

"I've never seen a bird with any colour flower in its mouth," she said.

"But I suddenly remembered your invitation to bring a pink flower to the beach. So. All the way from New York City. This bird is sending love for Justine."

A friend photographed a sunrise in Port Douglas in Queensland and another threw a pink flower into the water of Springfield Lakes in Brisbane.

In Bali, a mourner shared a photograph of a single candle sitting on the beach at dawn.

A Canadian friend meditated in Ms Damond's honour at Niagara Falls.

The officer who shot Ms Damond, Mohamed Noor, is refusing to be interviewed by investigators and her family claim they have been kept in the dark.

Minneapolis mayor Betsy Hodges says it's "important to keep people in the loop" and has vowed to notify Mr Ruszczyk and his son of any updates from Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

"I was able to make sure any time the BCA has information to release they do a family notification first before they make it public."

Ms Damond's friend Kat Kinnie has revealed that while the 40-year-old was thrilled to be getting married "she was worried about moving to the States".

"She was worried about how different things are in comparison to Australia with the gun laws ... that was her biggest reservation," Ms Kinnie told Triple M radio.


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3 min read
Published 19 July 2017 3:16pm
Source: AAP


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