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
Iran's judiciary says 71 killed in Israeli strike on Evin Prison
Trump: Make the deal, get the hostages back
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: 67 Palestinians were martyred in 24 hours in the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip
Israeli media: For the first time, Prime Minister Netanyahu is signaling that he wants to end the war on Gaza
Israeli Channel 12, citing an American source: We want to have entered a path toward captive release and a ceasefire before Netanyahu arrives in Washington
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One martyr and two injured in the Israeli airstrike that targeted a motorcycle in the town of Mahrouna
Al Mayadeen correspondent to Southern Lebanon: An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle between the towns of Jwayya and Mahrouna.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One martyred in the Israeli drone strike on a car in the town of Kawnin
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone targets a car in the town of Kawnin
Naeini: If our national interests are attacked again, our response this time will be stronger and more destructive

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

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian attends a protest following the US attacks on nuclear sites in Iran, in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

Iran declares victory as ceasefire forces Israeli retreat

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025
Iran launches strikes on Israeli targets, despite alleged ceasefire

Iran victorious as ceasefire with 'Israel' takes effect

  • Politics
  • 24 Jun 2025
Iranian worshippers carry their country's flags in a protest to condemn Israeli attacks on multiple cities across Iran, after the Friday prayers ceremony in Tehran, Iran, Friday, June 20, 2025. (AP)

Iran warns of NPT withdrawal, Strait of Hormuz closure after US attack

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
The site of a direct missile strike launched from Iran in Tel Aviv on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

Op. True Promise 3, wave 21: Multi-warhead missiles rain on 'Israel'

  • Politics
  • 23 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
In this June, 12, 2021, file photo, former Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani sits in a meeting in Tehran, Iran.
Politics

Iran strategically foiled Israeli-US scheme, Advisor Shamkhani says

Sheikh Naim
MENA

Let no one think they can subjugate Hezbollah: Sheikh Qassem

Screengrab from a video published by the al-Qassam Brigades shows confrontations with the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, undated (Al-Qassam Brigades Military Media)
Politics

Al-Qassam releases video of deadly ambush with Israeli forces in Gaza

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General, Rafael Grossi, attends an IAEA Board of Governors meeting in Vienna, Austria, Monday, June 23, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran bars IAEA chief Grossi from nuclear facility inspections

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