Police Acting Commissioner addresses the media over Yuendumu death

UPDATE: TWO staff members at the Yuendumu health clinic were attacked the evening before 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was shot and killed by police

NT Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Michael White speaks at a press conference regarding about the shooting death of a teen in Yuendumu. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

UPDATE: TWO staff members at the Yuendumu health clinic were attacked the evening before 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker was shot and killed by police. 

At a press conference in Darwin on Sunday afternoon, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said health staff had left the community prior to the fatal shooting, rattled by attempts to break in to their accommodation.

“Health staffing decisions have been based on break-in attempts and two health staff were attacked on Saturday night when they were attacked,” Mr Gunner said.

One of those staff members was injured, he said.

The clinic will reopen at some stage tomorrow.

The Yuendumu school is expected to remain closed until Tuesday or Wednesday.

Nine school staff are in Alice Springs and eight remain in Yuendumu.

“We have as a priority supporting Yuendumu to return to normal as soon as possible - kids going to school, people getting access to healthcare and an atmosphere where all people feel safe,” he said. 

Mr Gunner said the community was “heartbroken” by the death. 

He was joined at the press conference by Acting Deputy Commissioner Michael White.

Mr White disputed reports from community members that Kumanjayi Walker was sleeping prior to the fatal shot being fired.

“This is a very unusual and rare event. Our police force is one of the most experienced police forces in working with remote communities,” he said. 

“We do not randomly go around attacking people. The information I have to hand is that this person came at our police officers and one of our officers suffered an injury as part of the process as he was attempting to arrest this man and sadly some shots were fired and unfortunately this man died.”

Grief counselling will be provided to Yuendumu community members.

Mr White said the two police offiers involved in the shooting would also receive support.

“As you can imagine, they are quite upset by it. We are providing as much support as we can from a welfare perspective to all members involved and other members who were in Yuendumu at the time and of course the wider police family,” he said. 

Mr White confirmed Mr Walker had attended a funeral in Yuendumu the morning before he was shot.

Police went to the home to arrest Kumanjayi Walker for a breach of his suspended sentence.

He had been released from custody in October and put on a community corrections order, Mr White said.

EARLIER: POLICE say the teenager shot dead in Yuendumu on Saturday evening was armed. 

Acting Deputy Commissioner Michael White told media in Darwin two police officers went to a home in the community 300km from Alice Springs to arrest the man for a breach of parole.

He said the 19-year-old, “lunged” at an officer and was shot.

A snap action has been called with people to protest the shooting on the lawns of the Alice Springs Courthouse at 10am on Sunday.

While his family said they were left in the dark last night about his condition and were very angry about how they had been treated.

Mr White would not say what weapon he was armed with.

A police officer sustained an injury to his shoulder during the “tragic and serious incident” he said.

Mr White confirmed medical staff had left the community prior to the shooting because of security concerns. 

“From our perspective that has obviously impacted on the response in providing aid to the deceased,” he said. 

#Yuendumu #police have shot a young #aboriginal young fella in a public area last night 7pm Everybody from Yuendumu have surrounded the community police station & all are angry. @abcnews @4corners @NITV #australia #blaclivesmatter 🖤💛❤️@ABOriginalBAM pic.twitter.com/XVVnoguSRa

— 💧𝓜𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓼𝓪𝓱 (@__Melissa__G) November 10, 2019

An ambulance was sent to Yuendumu from a neighbouring community but the Walpiri man had died by the time it had arrived.

Reports of break-ins at the community’s health clinic will be looked at as part of the investigation.

Mr White would not say if the deceased had a history of violence. 

“Our key priority at the moment is to ensure the wellbeing of family and the members involved,” he said. 

The family of the deceased man question a police officer at the Alice Springs Hospital, hoping to find out if he is still alive. Picture: Emma Murray

Mr White confirmed family members, including the man’s wife, were not informed of the death until this morning. 

“Our number one priority is always safety of our members and the community,” he said.

He said it was likely officers were carrying nonlethal weapons such as tasers or pepper spray but was unable to say for sure.

“I can’t answer that question I don’t have that information but I would assume so, yes,” he said.

Why those weapons were not used would be a focus of the coronial inquest, he said.

Up to 200 people gathered outside the Yuendumu police station last night where officers were barricaded inside.

The body was flown to Alice Springs this morning.

Mr White was asked if the potential for mass violence affected the police response. 

“As you can understand, it’s a remote community that has sadly a large population who you know have suffered a loss and of course emotions are running very high at the moment,” he said.

A police officer looking through a hole in the Yuendumu station fence on Saturday night. Picture: Facebook

Extra police were on their way to Yuendumu from Alice Springs and Darwin, he said. He would not say if the officer who fired the fatal shot was still in the community.

Mr White acknowledged a large police presence so soon after the death could further inflame tensions.

“For us, it’s about making sure we engage with them and we inform the family and the rest of the community what has occurred and allay their fears,” he said.

He said police were “mindful” of the potential for further unrest.

Mr White said a death such as this was “probably the worst event any police officer can be involved in”.

A coronial investigation will be conducted.

Angry family members held a vigil outside the Alice Springs Hospital last night and were critical of police for not giving them information on his condition.

Acting Commissioner Michael Murphy is flying to Alice Springs now before he is expected to head to the community today.

It’s Acting Commissioner Murphy’s last day in the job. Incoming commissioner Jamie Chalker is due to be sworn in on Monday.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner and Deputy Chief Minister Nicole Manison are scheduled to give an update on the shooting midmorning.