Zachary Rolfe
Share this @internewscast.com

WARNING: This story contains an image of an Aboriginal person who has died.

The coroner concluded that the former police officer who shot an Indigenous teenager in a remote area exhibited racist behavior, which was indicative of an institutional culture that accepted racism.

Kumanjayi Walker was shot at close range three times by then-constable Zachary Rolfe in a home located in Yuendumu, 300km northwest of Alice Springs, in November 2019.

Zachary Rolfe
Then-constable Zachary Rolfe shot Kumanjayi Walker. (Supplied)

Today, coroner Elisabeth Armitage handed down her findings following a years-long inquest into Walker’s death.

Releasing a 600-page report, the coroner stated she could not dismiss the possibility that Rolfe’s racist tendencies could have been a factor contributing to the 19-year-old’s death.

“That I cannot exclude that possibility is a tragedy for Kumanjayi’s family and community, who will always believe that racism played an integral part in his death, and is a taint that may stain the NT Police,” she said.

Judge Armitage said Walker’s death was avoidable and a case of “officer-induced jeopardy”, a circumstance where an officer “needlessly put themselves in danger, making themselves and others vulnerable and creating a situation that justifies the use of deadly force”.

But Rolfe was not just “a bad apple”, Judge Armitage said, he benefited from working in an organisation with “the hallmarks of institutionalised racism”.

“His racist messages were not mere aberrations — they were, at least in part, reflective of a work culture that tolerated racism,” she said, referring to texts sent between Rolfe and colleagues in the police force, littered with racist language.

Kumanjayi Walker.
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. (Supplied)

The failure of the Northern Territory Police to properly supervise or “rein in” Rolfe’s behaviour, including an attraction to adrenaline, a lack of discipline and contempt for authority and women emboldened his approach, the coroner said.

The community is still grieving, with Walker’s cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown saying his death has devastated the community.

“We miss him and feel his loss deeply every single day, it will stain our country for generations to come,” she said.

13YARN 13 92 76, Lifeline 13 11 14

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Key Issues in Australian Childcare That a Male Ban Can’t Solve

Horrific allegations of abuse have put a spotlight on the childcare sector…
Desperate search for 27 missing girls after flood disaster

Intense Effort to Locate 27 Missing Girls Following Flood Catastrophe

At least 51 people, including 15 children, were killed, with most of…

Hacker Claims Responsibility for Qantas Data Breach: Airline Contacted

Qantas has revealed it has been contacted by a hacker claiming to…
'Extraordinary figure' in motorsport killed in Taronga Zoo bike crash

Prominent Motorsport Figure Tragically Dies in Taronga Zoo Bike Accident

A passionate cyclist who lost his life in a collision with a…
Former NRL star 'relieved' after cops drop weed and stolen cash charges

Ex-NRL Player Feels ‘Relief’ as Police Drop Marijuana and Theft Charges

A celebrated former NRL sprinter has been exonerated from accusations of drug…
Onlookers tried to take selfies of mushroom killer during murder trial

Bystanders Attempt to Snap Selfies of Suspected Mushroom Poisoner During Court Proceedings

The trial of Erin Patterson, known for the mushroom murder case, garnered…

Advocates Call for Greater Awareness and Understanding of Motor Neurone Disease

A rare debilitating disease that eats away at the nervous system to…

From Ancestry Insights to Data Monitoring: The Truth About the DNA Testing Industry

There was something about the way three police officers surrounded Michael Usry…
Tammy Hembrow (pictured) is heading for divorce after splitting from her husband of just seven months, Matt Zukowski

Tammy Hembrow Puzzles Fans by Wearing Her Diamond Wedding Ring After Splitting from Husband Matt Zukowski

Tammy Hembrow is heading for divorce after splitting from her husband of…
Mortgage holders are widely predicted to get more relief tomorrow, as the RBA makes it's latest interest rate decision.

Expected Savings for Australian Homeowners from a July Interest Rate Reduction

Mortgage holders are widely predicted to get more relief tomorrow, as the…
Constable Keith Anthony Smith served in the Tasmanian Police force for 25-years.

Suspect in Police Officer’s Murder Appears in Court

A man accused of the shooting murder of a veteran police officer…

Minister Burke Calls Synagogue Arson ‘An Attack on Australia’; Israeli Prime Minister Urges Swift Response

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke expressed his relief at the swift arrest…