In a significant finding, a coroner has determined that racist attitudes within the Northern Territory Police could not be excluded as a factor in the 2019 shooting of Kumanjayi Walker, a 19-year-old Aboriginal man. The report, released after a two-year public inquiry, was presented in Yuendumu, the community where the incident occurred.
Constable Zachary Rolfe, the officer involved, shot Walker three times during an attempted arrest after being stabbed in the shoulder with scissors. Despite being charged with murder and acquitted in a 2022 jury trial, the coroner's investigation revealed a troubling pattern of racist behavior normalised within the police force, which had previously ignored complaints regarding Rolfe's treatment of Aboriginal individuals.
Elisabeth Armitage, the coroner, expressed her conviction that Rolfe harbored racist beliefs and operated within an institution marked by systemic racism. The inquiry illuminated ongoing tensions between law enforcement and Indigenous communities, highlighting disparities in arrest rates and the broader issues of police violence against Aboriginal Australians.
The events surrounding Walker's death sparked national protests and discussions about racism in policing, bringing attention to the urgent need for reform. As community residents gathered to hear the coroner's findings, their grief was palpable, underscoring the profound impact of this tragedy on the Aboriginal community.
