Culture

Outrage As WA Police Say Cassius Turvey May Have Been In The “Wrong Place At The Wrong Time”

"We're not operating on any principles of racism or motivation at this point."

Cassius Police

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The Western Australian Police Commissioner is facing backlash after saying 15-year-old Cassius Turvey may have been at the “wrong place at the wrong time” when he was attacked.

— Content Warning: This article discusses distressing topics, and contains the name of an Indigenous boy who has died. — 

The comments were made by Commissioner Col Blanch in concern to outrage that the alleged attack on the Noongar boy in Perth was racially motivated.

“We’re not operating on any principles of racism or motivation at this point, other than to say we believe there was a damage incident that occurred, and that’s resulted in the [alleged] murder of a very young boy,” said Blanch to a Perth radio station on Wednesday.

“It may be a case of mistaken identity, it may be a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” he said. “But I wouldn’t want anyone in the community to jump to any conclusions at this — we’re still very early in the investigation.”

His words have been shut down for attributing fault to Turvey for simply walking home from school, and not portraying him as a victim of a heinous crime — when even a “mistaken identity” bears racial undertones.

His alleged attacker was charged with murder this week, after Turvey died in hospital from head injuries on Sunday.

The man reportedly pursued the teenager with weapons including a metal pole and a machete on October 13. It has also been alleged that racial slurs were shouted at Turvey and his friends while they were walking home from school that day.

“No Blak child should fear walking home from school,” said Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe in Parliament. “No Blak mother should wonder if their child will return home.”

“We all must fight for a country where First Nations children like Cassius can live out their birthright.”

fundraiser to support Turvey’s family is still up and running, and the community is preparing multiple vigils nationwide on November 2.