A combat surgeon has told Constable Zachary Rolfe’s murder trial the policeman’s second shot was likely to have killed Aboriginal teenager Kumanjayi Walker.

February 21, 2022

Constable Zachary Rolfe’s second shot was likely to have killed Kumanjayi Walker, a combat surgeon has told his murder trial.

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

Prosecutors say Rolfe went “too far” when he fired the second and third shots, which are the subject of his murder charge, because Mr Walker, 19, was “effectively restrained” by Constable Adam Eberl on the ground.

The constable says he was doing his job and defending himself from a violent offender who had stabbed him in the shoulder with a pair of scissors.

Expert witness Keith Towsey told the jury it was likely that Rolfe’s second shot into Mr Walker’s left torso killed him.

“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 told the Northern Territory Supreme Court in Darwin.

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

Dr Towsey also said Rolfe’s first shot into Mr Walker’s back was unlikely to have stopped the teen being able to use his right arm.

Mr Walker was holding the scissors he stabbed Rolfe with in his right hand.

“It has not struck any major organs to cause a major haemorrhage,” he said.

“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.

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

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

The jury has heard evidence that he continued to wrestle with Const Eberl after the shot was fired.

Rolfe was admitted to the Alice Springs hospital about three hours after Mr Walker died.

Emergency doctor Kerrie Sutherland briefly examined him as a large and vocal crowd gathered outside the hospital.

“He was happy to talk and be examined,” she said.

“The main thing he wanted was a tetanus shot.”

Rolfe told health staff he had been assaulted earlier in the evening. He said he was punched in the head and attacked with scissors.

Dr Sutherland’s team found a “small 3x3mm puncture wound” on Rolfe’s left shoulder and “superficial” abrasions on his arms.

“Chest clear, no trunk injury, no lower limb injury,” she said, reading from medical notes.

“Dressing to laceration, small strike through, nil distress, feel otherwise well.”

The stab wound did not require stitches.

“There were lots of people and yelling and screaming outside from the public,” she said.

“He just was keen to get out, to get home or somewhere safe.”

Staff let Rolfe exit the hospital using a back door.

The trial continues on Monday.