The police officer responsible for the fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker, an Indigenous teenager, was found to have exhibited racist attitudes and an alarming inclination towards adrenaline-driven policing, according to a coroner’s inquest. Walker, aged 19, died after being shot three times by Constable Zachary Rolfe during an arrest in Yuendumu, Northern Territory, in November 2019.
The inquest, led by Judge Elisabeth Armitage, found Rolfe to be “racist” and noted that his conduct was symptomatic of a police force plagued by “entrenched, systemic and structural racism.” The implications of this inquest are profound, as it follows Rolfe's acquittal of murder charges in 2022 that incited national protests against Indigenous deaths in police custody.
Judge Armitage articulated that Walker’s death was “avoidable” and encapsulated the normalization of racist language and behavior among police officers in the Alice Springs precinct, alleging that the issues extended beyond just one troubling officer. Although she refrained from definitively stating that Rolfe's racism led to Walker's death, she acknowledged it as a contributing factor that could not be overlooked.
The tense confrontation that resulted in Walker's death began when police attempted to arrest him for breaching a court order. Despite previous warnings regarding Walker’s volatile past, Rolfe approached the situation aggressively, disregarding a pre-established plan created by a female officer. The confrontation escalated quickly when Walker, wielding scissors, injured Rolfe's shoulder, causing Rolfe to respond with lethal force.
Judge Armitage described Rolfe's actions as flawed judgments that incited unnecessary peril, essentially creating conditions that warranted the use of deadly force. Her findings also pointed to Rolfe's military background, which led him to seek out the thrill of combat situations – an alarming context when paired with the realities of policing in Indigenous communities.
Moreover, the post-shooting conduct of officers, who dragged Walker from the scene before administering first aid, was condemned by Judge Armitage for being disrespectful. She laid out 32 recommendations aimed at addressing police protocols, including the establishment of agreements to govern the use of firearms within Indigenous communities and the necessity of transparent anti-racism measures.
Expressing condolences to Walker’s family, she emphasized the importance of learning from this tragedy to prevent such incidents in the future. The family expressed feelings of being overwhelmed by the report’s findings and are contemplating the proposed reforms.
In response, the Northern Territory Police Department acknowledged the difficult journey this inquest has taken, reiterating a commitment to integrate the lessons learned to improve future policing practices. The inquest formally commenced in 2022 and is mandated by law to investigate all custodial deaths. However, it should be noted that the recommendations provided by the inquest are non-binding.
