Family hopes for change as inquest draws to an end
Kumanjayi Walker was shot three times at close range by then-constable Zachary Rolfe at a home in the Northern Territory town of Yuendumu, in November 2019.
The death of the 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man devastated the community, Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said.
"We miss him and feel his loss deeply every single day, it will stain our country for generations to come," she said in a statement.
In March 2022, an NT Supreme Court jury acquitted Mr Rolfe of murdering Mr Walker. He has since left the police force.
Over the course of the coronial inquest, which has faced several delays, text messages between Mr Rolfe and colleagues, littered with derogatory language were revealed, as were racist award certificates, which triggered a probe in early 2024 by the NT corruption watchdog.
It has been a gruelling, shocking and devastating process for family and the community, Ms Fernandez-Brown said, as they prepare for Coroner Elisabeth Armitage's findings, to be handed down in Yuendumu on Monday.
"Racism killed Kumanjayi. Racism from NT Police, the NT government, from Zachary Rolfe," Ms Fernandez-Brown said.
"Yet none of them have ever been held to account for Kumanjayi's death.
"We are heartbroken and exhausted after many long years, but we are hoping change is coming."
During the inquest, Mr Walker's family called for an independent police ombudsman to be established, self-determination for Yuendumu and other Aboriginal communities, investment in culturally-safe alternatives to prison and punitive policing, the banning of guns in community and a reckoning with the over-incarceration of Aboriginal people in the territory.
Senior Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said if the NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole or other officers intended on going to Yuendumu for the findings, they should come without guns, and no "empty words".
"If he (Dole) is just coming to say sorry he is not welcome - how many times have they said sorry and still harmed us," Mr Hargraves said.
"If Dole comes with news of real change that would be different. If he said police would put down their guns like we wanted, yes, he would be welcome.
"But they are now giving out more guns to more police to shoot our people."
13YARN 13 92 76
Lifeline 13 11 14
The family of a teenager who was fatally shot by a police officer are calling for "truth, accountability and justice" following a years-long coronial inquest.
Kumanjayi Walker was shot three times at close range by then-constable Zachary Rolfe at a home in the Northern Territory town of Yuendumu, in November 2019.
The death of the 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man devastated the community, Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said.
"We miss him and feel his loss deeply every single day, it will stain our country for generations to come," she said in a statement.
In March 2022, an NT Supreme Court jury acquitted Mr Rolfe of murdering Mr Walker. He has since left the police force.
Over the course of the coronial inquest, which has faced several delays, text messages between Mr Rolfe and colleagues, littered with derogatory language were revealed, as were racist award certificates, which triggered a probe in early 2024 by the NT corruption watchdog.
It has been a gruelling, shocking and devastating process for family and the community, Ms Fernandez-Brown said, as they prepare for Coroner Elisabeth Armitage's findings, to be handed down in Yuendumu on Monday.
"Racism killed Kumanjayi. Racism from NT Police, the NT government, from Zachary Rolfe," Ms Fernandez-Brown said.
"Yet none of them have ever been held to account for Kumanjayi's death.
"We are heartbroken and exhausted after many long years, but we are hoping change is coming."
During the inquest, Mr Walker's family called for an independent police ombudsman to be established, self-determination for Yuendumu and other Aboriginal communities, investment in culturally-safe alternatives to prison and punitive policing, the banning of guns in community and a reckoning with the over-incarceration of Aboriginal people in the territory.
Senior Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said if the NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole or other officers intended on going to Yuendumu for the findings, they should come without guns, and no "empty words".
"If he (Dole) is just coming to say sorry he is not welcome - how many times have they said sorry and still harmed us," Mr Hargraves said.
"If Dole comes with news of real change that would be different. If he said police would put down their guns like we wanted, yes, he would be welcome.
"But they are now giving out more guns to more police to shoot our people."
13YARN 13 92 76
Lifeline 13 11 14
The family of a teenager who was fatally shot by a police officer are calling for "truth, accountability and justice" following a years-long coronial inquest.
Kumanjayi Walker was shot three times at close range by then-constable Zachary Rolfe at a home in the Northern Territory town of Yuendumu, in November 2019.
The death of the 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man devastated the community, Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said.
"We miss him and feel his loss deeply every single day, it will stain our country for generations to come," she said in a statement.
In March 2022, an NT Supreme Court jury acquitted Mr Rolfe of murdering Mr Walker. He has since left the police force.
Over the course of the coronial inquest, which has faced several delays, text messages between Mr Rolfe and colleagues, littered with derogatory language were revealed, as were racist award certificates, which triggered a probe in early 2024 by the NT corruption watchdog.
It has been a gruelling, shocking and devastating process for family and the community, Ms Fernandez-Brown said, as they prepare for Coroner Elisabeth Armitage's findings, to be handed down in Yuendumu on Monday.
"Racism killed Kumanjayi. Racism from NT Police, the NT government, from Zachary Rolfe," Ms Fernandez-Brown said.
"Yet none of them have ever been held to account for Kumanjayi's death.
"We are heartbroken and exhausted after many long years, but we are hoping change is coming."
During the inquest, Mr Walker's family called for an independent police ombudsman to be established, self-determination for Yuendumu and other Aboriginal communities, investment in culturally-safe alternatives to prison and punitive policing, the banning of guns in community and a reckoning with the over-incarceration of Aboriginal people in the territory.
Senior Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said if the NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole or other officers intended on going to Yuendumu for the findings, they should come without guns, and no "empty words".
"If he (Dole) is just coming to say sorry he is not welcome - how many times have they said sorry and still harmed us," Mr Hargraves said.
"If Dole comes with news of real change that would be different. If he said police would put down their guns like we wanted, yes, he would be welcome.
"But they are now giving out more guns to more police to shoot our people."
13YARN 13 92 76
Lifeline 13 11 14
The family of a teenager who was fatally shot by a police officer are calling for "truth, accountability and justice" following a years-long coronial inquest.
Kumanjayi Walker was shot three times at close range by then-constable Zachary Rolfe at a home in the Northern Territory town of Yuendumu, in November 2019.
The death of the 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man devastated the community, Mr Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said.
"We miss him and feel his loss deeply every single day, it will stain our country for generations to come," she said in a statement.
In March 2022, an NT Supreme Court jury acquitted Mr Rolfe of murdering Mr Walker. He has since left the police force.
Over the course of the coronial inquest, which has faced several delays, text messages between Mr Rolfe and colleagues, littered with derogatory language were revealed, as were racist award certificates, which triggered a probe in early 2024 by the NT corruption watchdog.
It has been a gruelling, shocking and devastating process for family and the community, Ms Fernandez-Brown said, as they prepare for Coroner Elisabeth Armitage's findings, to be handed down in Yuendumu on Monday.
"Racism killed Kumanjayi. Racism from NT Police, the NT government, from Zachary Rolfe," Ms Fernandez-Brown said.
"Yet none of them have ever been held to account for Kumanjayi's death.
"We are heartbroken and exhausted after many long years, but we are hoping change is coming."
During the inquest, Mr Walker's family called for an independent police ombudsman to be established, self-determination for Yuendumu and other Aboriginal communities, investment in culturally-safe alternatives to prison and punitive policing, the banning of guns in community and a reckoning with the over-incarceration of Aboriginal people in the territory.
Senior Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, said if the NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole or other officers intended on going to Yuendumu for the findings, they should come without guns, and no "empty words".
"If he (Dole) is just coming to say sorry he is not welcome - how many times have they said sorry and still harmed us," Mr Hargraves said.
"If Dole comes with news of real change that would be different. If he said police would put down their guns like we wanted, yes, he would be welcome.
"But they are now giving out more guns to more police to shoot our people."
13YARN 13 92 76
Lifeline 13 11 14
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6 hours ago
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Inquest finds racism may have contributed to fatal police shooting of 19-year-old man
In 2019, a police officer fatally shot an Aboriginal teenager during a botched arrest in the Northern Territory. On Monday, the NT Coroner handed down the findings of her inquest, saying the officer was racist and that the NT police bore the hallmarks of institutional racism. The coroner referenced strong racist and offensive language used by police. Rhiannon Shine reports this story, which includes an image of Kumanjayi Walker and footage from the night he died.
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Credit: Emma Kellaway, NITV Tendency to rush in Ms Armitage said she shared the view expressed by experienced senior police officers who said that this was a case of 'officer induced jeopardy', an expression that describes situations where officers 'needlessly put themselves in danger'; making themselves and others vulnerable and creating a situation that justifies the use of deadly force. "Mr Rolfe had a tendency to rush into situations to get his man without regard for his and others' safety, and in disregard of his training," she said. "He had a tendency to seek out situations in which force would be necessary, because he found combat situations exhilarating, and had an interest in adrenaline-style policing." The coroner found, rather than follow the arrest plan prepared by Sergeant Julie Frost, the officer in charge at Yuendumu, Mr Rolfe, who was a member of the Immediate Response Team (IRT), deliberately ignored it. 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