Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Two were martyred in an initial toll of the Israeli drone strike that targeted the al-Asira neighborhood in the city of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: An Israeli drone strike targeted the al-Asira neighborhood east of Baalbek, eastern Lebanon
Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are the greatest resistance. Know that 'Israel' will fall because it embodies aggression, crime, and occupation; victory is truly yours
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: The value of what you are doing despite your wounds is immense, and here you are, treading the path of the Master of Nation's Martyrs and the leaders
Sheikh Qassem to the pager attack survivors: You are moving forward with insight deeper than sight itself. The enemy sought to eliminate your role in the battle, yet you remain steadfast and continue the fight
Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem to the pager attack survivors one year later: You are healing from your wounds and rising above them. You have successfully passed the test
Palestinian media: Reports of stabbing operation in occupied al-Quds.
Israeli media: Sirens blare in Arava in South, near Ramon Airport.
Egyptian PM Mostafa Madbouli: Egypt is targeted in plans to redraw regional map
AEOI Chief Mohammad Eslami: Our presence in IAEA General Council and fact-checking helped in preventing unilateral rhetoric that aims to portray Iran as an unregulated country

Australian cop cleared over fatal shooting of Indigenous teen

  • By Al Mayadeen net
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Mar 2022 11:32
4 Min Read

The verdict has been met with criticism and rage by the teen's relatives and elders.

  • x
  • Australian cop cleared over fatal shooting of Indigenous teen
    Kumanjayi Walker was fatally shot in 2019 (The Guardian)

An Australian police officer was acquitted of murder Friday after fatally shooting an Indigenous teenager, a decision that enraged families and elders who were disturbed by the high incidence of Aboriginal fatalities in custody.

This is the first time an Australian police officer has ever been convicted of murder in connection with the death of an Indigenous person in custody.

Since 1991, more than 500 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons have died in jail, including at least 11 deaths in the previous seven months.

Zachary Rolfe, the officer in question, was found not guilty of murder in the death of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker on November 9, 2019, ruling that all three rounds fired by the officer in a rural hamlet were lawful.

Rolfe was also acquitted on lesser counts of manslaughter and a violent act resulting in death.

As family members wept outside the court, Walker's cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown told reporters they were "deeply saddened by the result and cannot put our grief into words."

She vowed the family would not end their struggle and expressed that "though we've been given a trial, I can't with honesty say that it's been fair," she said, vowing that the family would not give up on their struggle. 

Ralfe said he welcomed the decision, saying, "Obviously, I think it was the right decision to make, but a lot of people are hurting today -- Kumanjayi's family and his community -- and it didn't need to get to this point, so I'm going to leave this space for them."

Multiple shots

Related News

Aboriginal group sues Australia for $1.1bln iron ore claim

Australian PM calls for urgent reforms in indigenous welfare

During the trial, the jury heard from more than 40 witnesses to decide on whether Rolfe behaved reasonably during an attempted arrest for violating bail terms when he opted to fire his Glock pistol at Walker for the second and third time.

The prosecution said that Rolfe's first shot rendered Walker unconscious while he struggled with another officer, wielding a pair of scissors and that the second and third rounds – one or both of which were deadly – were excessive and violated his training as a police officer.

The jury, however, sided with Rolfe, which contended that he feared for his and his partner's life during the battle because Walker was brandishing an "edged weapon".

According to the defense, Rolfe claimed that the juvenile had attacked other officers with a hatchet just a few days before the incident and was not aware that the weapon carried by Walker was a pair of surgical scissors until after it was too late.

Both the prosecution and the defense referred to the officers' body camera footage several times, which showed Rolfe and his partner confronting Walker, as well as the resulting altercation and shooting.

In the footage, Rolfe can be heard justifying the shots to his partner, saying "It's all good. He was stabbing you, he was stabbing me."

The video also shows the frantic aftermath of the gunshot when the Yuendumu village realized the adolescent had been shot, as well as the officer's futile attempts to save Walker's life.

Rolfe was arrested four days after Walker died, implying that there was no serious inquiry into what occurred.

Tensions between the Northern Territory's Indigenous community and law enforcement had risen in the days leading up to the incident when police shot another 19-year-old First Nations youth six times near where the Rolfe trial was taking place.

Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, a village elder, reacted angrily at the verdict in front of the waiting journalists.

"It's another sad day; I just say -- when we are going to get justice?! When?!" he said.

"Enough is enough! It's got to stop."

  • indigenous people
  • Police Brutality
  • Australia

Most Read

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

Lapid: Egypt’s Arab Force plan a 'severe blow' to normalization

  • Palestine
  • 14 Sep 2025
Why is Choose Love using a firm with British and US intelligence connections to run a pro-Palestine musical event? (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Batoul Chamas)

Together for Palestine: Troubling questions about the organisers of this huge event

  • Opinion
  • 17 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Hezbollah supporter who lost his sight in a pager attack carried out by "Israel" on Sept. 17, 2024, covers his eyes with a red headband inscribed with the name "Hussein" during Ashoura, July 6, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'We Have Recovered': Lebanon marks 1st anniversary of Pager Attack

The Arab neighborhood of El Za'im, on the outskirts of east Occupied Al-Quds in the West Bank, near where Israeli government says housing units will be built as part of the E1 settlement project, Thursday, August 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Palestine

'Israel’s' deliberate policies drive West Bank economy toward collapse

Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, in Cambridge, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Politics

Ben & Jerry’s co-founder resigns over parent company curbing activism

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll
US & Canada

Trump’s approval rating falls to new low in second term: Poll

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS