By Grant McArthur and Hannah Hammoud
Hundreds of mourners gathered for an emotional vigil at the Alice Springs supermarket where a young man died while in custody, as the Northern Territory Police rejected calls for an external investigation into the incident.
Warlpiri elders have called for witnesses to Tuesday’s tragedy to come forward and help understand what led to the death of 24-year-old Kumanjayi White – named in this masthead with the family’s permission – who first had an altercation with a security guard before being restrained by two police officers.
Ned Hargraves, a Warlpiri elder, called the vigil for his grandson at the Coles supermarket from noon on Friday, leading to an outpouring of grief and anger among the mourners.
Mourners walk through the aisles of Coles in Alice Springs.Credit: ABC
“Every day our black fellas, yapa, getting stopped,” Hargraves told the vigil.
“It’s gotta stop. We respect you – how about us? Respect us.
“We were meant to be working together, but we’re not. You are supposed to serve the community, protect people.”
Hargraves thanked the community for their support and said he hoped it wouldn’t happen again.
“Hear our words,” he said. “Hear us, this cannot keep going.”
Messages and tributes of bouquets and gum leaves were left at the front of the store where mourners comforted each other and wailed with grief.
“This young man shouldn’t have died. He shouldn’t be returned to his community in a box,” Indigenous writer Veronica Gorrie told mourners.
Senior Warlpiri man Ned Hargraves.Credit: Fair-Dealing
Senior Warlpiri elder Robin Granites Japanagka asked anyone at the gathering who witnessed Tuesday’s incident to come forward with information.
“Those people who was surrounded by him and the police at this very place … everything needs to be told in a truth way,” he said.
“If it’s in your language, talk to us, we will interpret.”
Mourners also walked through the aisles wailing inside the store where Kumanjayi was detained and died.
Kurnai woman Veronica Gorrie attended the vigil in Alice Springs.Credit: Justin McManus
Earlier this week NT Police said security guards had confronted the man in the same aisles at 1.10pm on Tuesday after he was allegedly seen putting items down the front of his clothes.
Two plain-clothes police officers who were inside the supermarket restrained the 24-year-old and noticed he had stopped breathing.
Kumanjayi was taken to hospital but died an hour later.
At the same time Friday’s vigil was concluding, NT Police issued a statement from acting commissioner Martin Dole rejecting a suggestion from Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy that an external investigation into the death might be the best way forward.
Dole said he contacted the senator to convey his complete confidence in oversight of his force.
“This incident is being investigated by Major Crime Division, which operates under strict protocols and with full transparency,” Dole said.
“The investigation will also be independently reviewed by the NT coroner, who has broad powers to examine all aspects of the incident and make findings without interference.”
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