A police officer has been charged with murder over the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker in his home in the Northern Territory town of Yuendumu on Saturday night.
The AAP is reporting that Walker was shot as two police officers attempted to arrest him for “breaches of his suspended sentence”. He was taken to the Yuendumu police station, where he later he died of his injuries.
In a statement, NT Police said a “male 28-year-old Northern Territory police officer” had been charged with one count of murder, and that no further information would be released as the matter was currently before the court. This comes shortly after the shooting was referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Protests were held across the country tonight demanding justice for the shooting.
The crowd has stopped for a smoking ceremony in the middle of Bourke street to honour Kumanjayi Walker #JusticeForWalker pic.twitter.com/fysAVsOh1a
— Sally Rugg (@sallyrugg) November 13, 2019
Speaking outside of parliament today, Labor senator Pat Dodson said that the circumstances of the shooting must be investigated. “We come because another Aboriginal life has been needlessly taken,” he said. “This death will not go unanswered – this death will demand reform in the policing system and in the quality of services and health particularly into these places.”
