Aaron Bunch Journalist with Australian Associated Press | Collection of published work | + 61 484 008 119 | abunch@aap.com.au

Aaron Bunch
Witness said Kumanjayi was ‘contained’

Policeman Anthony Hawkings told investigators that Aboriginal teenager Kumanjayi Walker was “contained” when Constable Zachary Rolfe allegedly murdered him.

February 18, 2022

One of Constable Zachary Rolfe’s elite police team colleagues told investigators Aboriginal teenager Kumanjayi Walker was “contained” when he was allegedly murdered.

The 19-year-old died after Rolfe, 30, shot him three times during a failed arrest in Yuendumu, 290km northwest of Alice Springs on November 9, 2019.

Rolfe is fighting a murder charge, saying he was doing his job in “good faith” and defending himself and a colleague against a violent offender.

But prosecutors say he went “too far” when he fired the fatal second and third shots because Mr Walker was “effectively restrained” by another officer.

Senior Constable Anthony Hawkings ran to an open door at the teen’s grandmother’s house after Rolfe fired his first shot and witnessed him fire the next two.

Prosecutor Philip Strickland SC reminded him that he had previously told investigators that “it looked like (Rolfe and Constable Adam Eberl) had contained (Mr Walker) or were containing the guy”.

But on Friday he told the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin that “they were in the process of attempting to contain Mr Walker at that point”.

“You said it looked like they had contained him or were containing him,” Mr Strickland said in reply.

“It was a very active situation,” Sen Const Hawkings responded.

“I saw them wrestling on the ground.”

He later agreed with Rolfe’s lawyer David Edwardson QC that Mr Walker had not released the scissors he stabbed Rolfe in the shoulder with when he was shot.

“He was not incapacitated was he?” Mr Edwardson said.

“No,” Sen Const Hawkings replied.

He told the court on Thursday that Mr Walker was laying on a mattress on the ground in a “semi-prone” position when Rolfe fired the shots.

“The proximity would have been extremely close, within a foot,” he said.

“I cannot recall if he was on his stomach or if he was more so on his side, struggling.”

Sen Const Hawkings’ body-worn camera recorded him running towards the scene amid screams from Mr Walker’s family and friends.

As he approached the doorway Rolfe can be seen silhouetted against a red wall standing over Constable Adam Eberl and Mr Walker just before he fires the second and third shots.

Moments later the camera records Mr Walker laying face down with his arms and hands behind his back as Rolfe and Const Eberl handcuff him.

He was still holding the scissors in his right hand.

Prosecutors have conceded the first shot, which was fired while Mr Walker was standing and resisting arrest, was justified.

Mr Walker died from injuries sustained from either the second or third shots.

Combat and trauma surgeon Keith Towsey reported on Mr Walker’s injuries for the NT Police and said it was likely that the second shot killed Mr Walker.

“It has gone from one side of the body to the other and in doing so it has passed through several major organs, in particular the liver, the kidney and spleen,” he said.

“These three organs in particular have a very rich blood supply and penetrating trauma to them causes quite extensive bleeding.”

Dr Towsey said the first shot was unlikely to have stopped Mr Walker being able to use his right arm.

“It has not struck any major organs to cause a major haemorrhage. It has not affected the major muscle groups that provide power to the shoulder and it has not affected any of the nerve supply to the right shoulder,” he said.

“Anatomically, I cannot see how the missile track A1 would have affected his ability to use his right arm.”

The trial continues.

Comments are closed.

Latest Stories
archive
date published
March 2024
M T W T F S S
« Feb    
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031