Police Officer Charged In Shooting Of Warlpiri Man Kumanjayi Walker
He has been stood down with pay.
Police officer Zachary Rolfe has been charged with murder after allegedly shooting a 19-year-old in a remote Northern Territory community.
As reported by the ABC, the 28-year-old officer allegedly shot Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker, who died shortly afterwards without being attended to by a doctor. There was no medical centre in the community — the only one in the vicinity had been closed due to break-ins.
The death prompted a wave of protests around the country, included heavily-attended rallies in Melbourne and Sydney. Hundreds gathered on town squares, demanding justice for the death.
We can all learn from Warlpiri staunchness ??❤️
— Nayuka (@NayukaGorrie) November 13, 2019
Rolfe has been released on bail. According to a statement by Northern Territory police, he has been “suspended on pay.”
As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, Rolfe is the son of two well-connected Canberra philanthropists, and is an ex-army serviceman.
An elder from Mr. Walker’s community told the ABC that he was “overwhelmed” by the news.
Rolfe is due to reappear in court this December.