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Yuendumu shooting: NT police officer charged with murder over death of Kumanjayi Walker Yuendumu shooting: NT police officer charged with murder over death of Kumanjayi Walker
(about 8 hours later)
The 19-year-old died after he was shot at Yuendumu, 300 kilometres from Alice Springs The 19-year-old died after he was shot at town 300km from Alice Springs
A Northern Territory police officer has been charged with murder over last weekend’s shooting of 19-year-old Indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker. A Northern Territory police officer has been charged with murder over last weekend’s shooting of a 19-year-old Indigenous man, Kumanjayi Walker.
Walker died after he was shot at Yuendumu, 300 kilometres from Alice Springs, on Saturday night when two police officers went there to arrest him for breaches of his suspended sentence. Walker died after he was shot at Yuendumu, 300km from Alice Springs, on Saturday night when two police officers went there to arrest him for breaches of his suspended sentence.
A 28–year old male NT police officer had been charged with one count of murder, NT Police said in a statement on Wednesday night. A 28–year old male NT police officer had been charged with one count of murder, NT police said on Wednesday night.
The announcement came after hundreds of people took to the streets in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities to protest. Police later confirmed the officer had been granted bail in an out-of-session local court hearing, and will appear again in Alice Springs on 19 December.
Protesters carrying banners saying “Tell the truth” and “Justice for Walker” marched on parliament in Canberra and Darwin. “The officer has been suspended on pay,” police said.
The announcement came after hundreds of people took to the streets in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities to protest at the killing. Protesters carrying banners saying “Tell the truth” and “Justice for Walker” marched on parliament in Canberra and Darwin.
Questions have been asked about the way police and health officials dealt with the immediate aftermath of the shooting, and their ensuing treatment of the community, including Walker’s relatives, who had waited outside the police station for hours seeking answers about his condition.Questions have been asked about the way police and health officials dealt with the immediate aftermath of the shooting, and their ensuing treatment of the community, including Walker’s relatives, who had waited outside the police station for hours seeking answers about his condition.
Walker died in the station from his injuries but did not receive critical emergency care, and his family were not notified until hours after his death.Walker died in the station from his injuries but did not receive critical emergency care, and his family were not notified until hours after his death.
On Tuesday, Northern Territory health officials defended their decision to leave Yuendumu in the hours before the police shooting, saying health staff “raised safety concerns” on Saturday morning after a period of “community unrest”. On Tuesday Northern Territory health officials defended their decision to leave Yuendumu in the hours before the police shooting, saying health staff had “raised safety concerns” on Saturday morning after a period of “community unrest”.
The Medical Retrieval and Consultation Care Centre, which handles all medical emergencies across central Australia, provided clinical advice to police at the time of the shooting but did not immediately call for an airlift.The Medical Retrieval and Consultation Care Centre, which handles all medical emergencies across central Australia, provided clinical advice to police at the time of the shooting but did not immediately call for an airlift.
By the time staff from nearby Yuelamu health centre arrived, Walker had died. By the time staff from the nearby Yuelamu health centre arrived, Walker had died.
He is the second Aboriginal person to die after being shot by police in the past two months. In September, 29-year-old Yamatji woman Joyce Clarke was shot outside a house in the Geraldton suburb of Kaloo and died soon after in hospital. He is the second Aboriginal person to die after being shot by police in the past two months. In September a 29-year-old Yamatji woman, Joyce Clarke, was shot outside a house in the Geraldton suburb of Kaloo and died soon afterwards in hospital.
On Tuesday, the NT chief minister, Michael Gunner, met Warlpiri elders at Yuendumu and promised that the coronial investigation would be independent “and consequences will flow as a result”. On Tuesday the NT chief minister, Michael Gunner, met Warlpiri elders at Yuendumu and promised that the coronial investigation would be independent “and consequences will flow as a result”.
“Saturday night was an awful night and we will be working together for a long time about how we deal with that together,” Gunner told people gathered at Yuendumu. “But there are important things I can promise today. One of them is to guarantee there will be an independent investigation.”“Saturday night was an awful night and we will be working together for a long time about how we deal with that together,” Gunner told people gathered at Yuendumu. “But there are important things I can promise today. One of them is to guarantee there will be an independent investigation.”
The Northern Territory Police Association said in a statement following the announcement the officer had been charged that they were “continuing to support our member who has this evening been charged with murder, as well as his family, and all other officers involved in the critical incident at Yuendumu on Saturday 9 November.”