Man fatally shot by police in Footscray previously clashed with officers

Abdifatah Ahmed, who was fatally shot by police in Footscray, had previously been involved in a violent confrontation with officers, a court has heard.

A refugee shot dead by police in Footscray had been involved in another violent confrontation with officers 15 months earlier, a court has heard.

It can be revealed Abdifatah Ahmed spent 32 days in jail after he threatened to stab a man and later ran at police with a knife, leading to a dramatic arrest in Altona North in January last year.

Police were also called to Coles in Moonee Ponds on March 14 - a month before he was killed - after Mr Ahmed was “causing issues” and eating food from the deli about 8.30pm.

They were the only two instances he had been involved in with Victoria Police before two officers gunned him down as he charged at them with a knife near the Metro West mall on Albert St just after 9pm on April 17.

The details emerged on Thursday in the Coroner’s Court where the 35-year-old’s family gathered in hope of getting answers about their loved one’s final moments.

35-year-old Somali refugee Abdifatah Ahmed who was shot dead by police in Footscray. Picture: Supplied

The family’s lawyer told the court they would like to see the police’s body worn cameras and any other CCTV that captured the incident “for the purposes of understanding what occurred, given all the scuttlebutt that has been happening in media”

The shooting sparked protests and widespread community outrage, with residents calling for the police officers to be charged and increased mental health support.

An inquest, which will be overseen by coroner Leveaaque Peterson, is mandatory as the incident is considered a death in police custody.

Ms Peterson will probe if Mr Ahmed’s death could have been prevented.

Counsel assisting Lindsay Spence told the court Mr Ahmed, who was born Abdifatah Abdullahi Salad in Somalia, had ignored multiple orders to “get on the ground” and drop his weapon.

“At no time did Abdifitah respond to any of the directions or commands given by either police member,” Mr Spence said.

He said the officers’ body-worn cameras captured the entire incident, with no evidence of Mr Ahmed saying anything as he charged at police with a knife he had earlier stolen from Kmart.

He said the two police members involved underwent drug and alcohol testing, but the results of those were not revealed.

Protesters march through the streets following the shooting of Mr Ahmed. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

The court heard about the similarities between this incident and his earlier clash with police in January last year.

On that occasion, police were responding to a report that he had threatened to stab a factory owner who had asked him to move away from his premises.

Officers used OC spray on him multiple times without effect.

When a constable drew his gun, Mr Ahmed continued to refuse to drop his weapon but quickly retreated.

An officer in an undercover vehicle was then directed to “impact Abdifitah at slow speed, as they had no further non-lethal options”.

But he got back up and kept walking while holding the knife, with police following him with their firearms and OC foam drawn.

When he walked into the driveway of a private residence, the incident was escalated and police struck him to the head with a baton, taking him to the ground and handcuffing him.

He later pleaded guilty to threatening to inflict serious injury, affray, assault police and possessing a controlled weapon and was sentenced to the 32 days he had already served.

The shooting sparked protests and widespread community outrage. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Mr Spence detailed how Mr Ahmed came to Australia from Somalia in 2013, initially living in Western Australia with his father and older brother and working as a taxi and Uber driver.

But after losing his driver’s licence in 2019, he became reliant on Centrelink payments, and moved to Melbourne to study English in July 2023.

Mr Spence said Mr Ahmed had mental health involvement in both WA and Victoria, and that they were trying to obtain the records for the coroner.

An inquest is not expected to be scheduled until next year.

Originally published as Man fatally shot by police in Footscray previously clashed with officers