‘Stain on your government’: Family of man shot by police slam Labor
By Cloe Read
The grieving parents of a 24-year-old West Australian man who was fatally shot by Queensland police have used the second anniversary of his death to demand an independent investigation.
Darren and Nicola Gilbert sent a letter to Premier Steven Miles last week demanding justice for their son Luke. Today – the anniversary of his death, and the official start of the Queensland election campaign – they went public with their plea.
Luke Gilbert was shot by two officers after they stopped him in Airlie Beach. He was carrying a knife on his belt, which a Coroner’s inquest heard he unclipped to show the officers.
Luke Gilbert and mother Nicola.Credit: Facebook
After his death, his parents said their son used the knife as a tradie. They have consistently argued there was no justification for the young man being shot three times.
The parents questioned why there was no criminal investigation and no ballistics report prepared by police before they referred their son’s death to the Coroner’s office for a routine inquest.
“Imagine vital evidence being withheld from you, including your child’s final walk before coming face to face with his killers,” they wrote in the letter to Miles.
“All this is in a year when Queensland police shot more people than the rest of Australia combined, which is a stain on your term in government.”
The scene of the shooting at Shute Harbour Road in Airlie Beach. Credit: Nine News
The case is still before the Coroners Court, with Deputy State Coroner Stephanie Gallagher to deliver findings at a later date.
The parents are demanding a fresh, independent investigation into their son’s death, with an online petition so far garnering more than 35,000 signatures.
Their letter to Miles detailed their reaction to police knocking on their door in WA, telling them their son was dead, and leaving minutes later without explaining the circumstances.
“The worst part isn’t over though, the funeral comes and goes, and for the most part, you are numb,” the parents wrote.
“No, the worst part is sitting for four days in a court with not a single person who ever met your child except for those who killed him.
“The worst part is hearing all these people pour over and pick apart his whole life for no other reason than to justify his death.
“Imagine your child is ashes while people attempt to further dehumanise him by making him out to be something so far removed from who he was that they’re not even talking about your child any more, but you can’t correct them, you can’t get upset, you can’t say ‘no, that didn’t happen’ because you get sent out of the court and denied a voice.”
Darren and Nicola Gilbert, parents of Luke Gilbert.Credit: Nine News
Miles’ office was contacted for comment. A government spokeswoman said the circumstances of Gilbert’s death were still being considered by the coroner and it would be inappropriate to comment.
“The government extends its sincere condolences go to the family and friends of Mr Gilbert,” the spokeswoman said.
“Queensland coroners are independent officers who have exclusive jurisdiction over the examinations surrounding reportable deaths.”