‘No empty words’: Kumanjayi Walker’s family prepare for coroner’s final report with call for ‘real action’ | Indigenous Australians

The findings of investigation into Kumanjayi Walker’s fiery death will be delivered to Yuendumumu on Monday, almost five years after he died during an arrest in the remote northern region of the Warlpiri man.

Zachary Rolfe hit Walker three times in Yuendumumu on November 9, 2019, trying to arrest Alice Springs for about 300 km.

The 19 -year -old Walker stabbed Rolfe with a pair of scissors shortly before he was shot three times. In March 2022, Rolfe was not found guilty of the charges of murder and manslaughter on Walker’s death.

Since then, he has been rejected from power for issues that were not directly related to shooting.

The investigation into Walker’s death was expected to be completed two and a half years ago.

The delay is partly due to legal challenges filed on behalf of Rolfe, including a unsuccessful offer for Elisabeth Armitage.

Finally, and tragicly, the release of the findings due to the death of Kumanjayi White, another Warlpiri man in the custody of the police, Walker’s cousin, was postponed for a month.

Armitage, Senior Consultant Peggy Dwyer SC and Maria Walz’a helping the instructor, as in the three -year Walker investigation will participate in the white investigation.

Rolfe’s evidence before the investigation in February last year launched a series of revelations about racism in NT Police Force, and again threatened to blow up the timeline to deliver its findings.

Rolfe summarized a racism catalog on the ranks, including the racist award night in the distinguished tactical unit. The evidence admitted that the NT police commissioner Michael Murphy at that time was “gas”.

Walker’s family said in a statement that they called for real, accountability and justice and that racism believed that the Walker killed Walker. He said that the NT police did not want to go to Yuendumu for investigation with firearms.

Walker’s cousin Samara Fernandez-Brown said, “The death of Kumanjayi ruined our community. We miss him and feel depth every day, he will stain our country for generations.”

Yarım The investigation into his death was exhausting, shocking and destructive. Throughout this, our families and communities stood strong, appeared, and listened to all the ways in which Kumanjayi failed.

“After many years, we have been broken and exhausted, but we hope that the change will come. We believe that the truth will finally be explained and will finally want to see a real change in order to start healing.”

Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, a senior Warlpiri old and his grandfather of White, said the NT police should not come to Yuendumu with weapons.

“We are not interested [acting commissioner] He comes to Martin Dole Yuendumu only with empty words. Sorry, if he comes to say that he was not welcomed – how many times are I sorry and they still hurt us?

“We didn’t ask for more weapons in the community during the Walker investigation.

“Now, after the death of my grandson Kumanjayi White, we made additional demands: for an independent investigation and the release of CCTV images, but the police are still rejecting it, they are hiding the truth. True action, real justice, not more empty words.”

Whisk He said in a statement On May 30, while proposing a sincere condolences for the death of Beyaz, he respected calls for an independent investigation. These calls were made by NT Senator Malardirri McCarthy.

“This event is being investigated by our Great Crime Department operating under strict protocols and under full transparency.

“The investigation will be reviewed independently by NT Coroner, who has wide powers to examine all aspects of the incident and to make findings without intervening.”

Armitage is expected to deliver findings at 10.45 NT hours on Monday.