Fake street signs mock Minneapolis police’s excuse of being ‘startled’ prior to Justine Ruszczyk shooting

Orange street signs warning of “easily startled” police officers have popped up in the US city of Minneapolis, the city where Australian Justine Ruszczyk was killed.

The sign features a graphic silhouette of a police officer, a gun in each raised hand, shooting in both directions and read “WARNING: TWIN CITIES POLICE EASILY STARTLED”.

At least two of the signs have been spotted in the days following the death of Ruszczyk.

The signs reference a statement from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which said Noor's partner Matthew Harrity heard a loud noise before Ruszczyk was shot dead.

"As they reached West 51st Street, Officer Harrity indicated that he was startled by a loud sound near the squad (car),” the BCA said.

Minneapolis newspaper the Star Tribune reported Joe Morino snapped a shot of one of the signs, while another photo has circulated on social media of the sign in neighbouring city Saint Paul. Ruszczyk’s was shot in the stomach by Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor as she approached to speak to his partner after calling 911 to report a sexual assault.

Corey Schmidt, a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Police Department, told the Star Tribune he had seen the Facebook post about the Saint Paul sign but was unaware of the Minneapolis one.

Meanwhile, the fiancé of Ruszczyk is set to collect her wedding dress today.

It will be the first time Don Damond, the American man she planned to marry next month, would see the dress.

Ruszczyk had ordered it just weeks before she was killed by Minneapolis cop Mohamed Noor.