Investigation ongoing into police shooting of Abdifatah Ahmed in Melbourne's west

Australia Broadcast Center

22-04-2025

Hundreds of people have gathered at a vigil in Melbourne's west, following the police shooting death of a man on Thursday night in Footscray.
About 200 people rallied at Nicholson St in the heart of Footscray, many holding signs saying "Black Lives Matter" and calling for more mental health support.
Somali man Abdifatah Ahmed was shot dead by police after allegedly rushing at police with a knife.
About 200 people gathered in Footscray, five days after the fatal shooting.
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Berhan Ahmed, a speaker at the event, said the area needed more mental health support instead of police.
"We don't need to blame victims, we need to support victims," Mr Ahmed said.
"Shame on [police] using guns instead of care."
"Shame," the crowd cried back.
The gathered crowd marched down Paisley St in Footscray holding banners.
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Community calls for action, co-operation
Mr Ahmed knew Abdifatah Ahmed personally, and said the man would often come by his office to ask for help.
"To be honest, he was a gentleman," Mr Ahmed said.
"These kids are victims of the institutional system, they need mental health treatment, our people are dropping out of school like flies with the spray."
Mr Ahmed called for Victoria Police to step up with their community engagement and rebuild relationships.
Berhan Ahmed says the shooting had strained an already tense relationship with police.
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"We need to build up trust between the police and the community," Mr Ahmed said.
"Police have to earn the respect, they need to earn it so we feel safe, but at the moment we don't feel safe."
Somali community leader Farah Warsame said the death of Abdifatah Ahmed had shocked the community.
Mr Warsame said the police response had raised "serious concerns".
"He needed care, kindness and support, not to be met with deadly force," Mr Warsame said.
Farah Warsame says the community has welcomed the announcement of an investigation into the incident.
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Mr Warsame said transparency was needed with any police investigation into the shooting.
"Why Victoria Police did not use any other means to save the life of this young person, that's where the concern of the community is coming from," Mr Warsame said.
Police investigating fatal shooting
About 9pm on April 17, police said officers arrived at the corner of Paisley and Albert streets in Footscray, minutes after a triple-0 call reporting a man was armed with a knife.
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Police say officers told the man to drop the weapon and shot the man when he charged at police.
In a statement, a Victoria Police spokesperson said the incident could have impacted the safety of a large number of people in the area.
"Unfortunately, police were confronted with an extremely volatile and high-risk situation and made a tactical decision to use their firearms in a small matter of moments," the spokesperson said.
"We strongly reject any claims that this matter was racially motivated."
Police were called to Albert Street in Footscray on Thursday night.
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The spokesperson said the officers were not equipped with tasers, with only 60 per cent of frontline police having access to them as part of a staggered rollout.
Tasers are expected to be available to all frontline police by September 2026.
Victoria Police confirmed an investigation by Homicide Squad with oversight from Professional Standards Command was ongoing, and the officers involved were currently on leave.
Maribyrnong City Council said it was actively engaging in ongoing discussions with African community leaders, local traders and community service providers over the incident.
"We remain committed to a partnership-based approach with our community leaders, seeking long-term solutions to the social and mental health challenges impacting Footscray," the council said in a statement on social media.
"We support the community's call for an independent investigation into the death of Abdifatah Ahmed to provide clarity on the events leading up to the incident."