The family of Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker, who died after being shot by NT police officer Zachary Rolfe in 2019, has spoken of their heartbreak after a jury found him not guilty of all charges.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains an image of a person who has died, used with the permission of their family.
Constable Rolfe was acquitted of murder, as well two alternative charges of manslaughter and engaging in a violent act causing death.
Mr Walker's family is now calling for a blanket ban on guns in remote Aboriginal communities.
Speaking outside court after the verdict was handed down, deputy chair of the Parumpurru Justice Committee Valerie Napaljarri Martin, said supporters were feeling "empty" and "devastated" by the jury's unanimous decision.
"A beloved young fella has been taken away from us, I know nothing can bring him back," she said.
"We are all so full of anger and grief.
"Our spirit may be broken, but we are the powerful vision-makers."
Ms Martin said the court had not recognised the needs of Warlpiri people and that Australia was "divided by racism": two key issues which needed to be changed.
She's now urging the community to work together "towards the future of our next generation".
"We demand an end to guns in our communities," Ms Martin said.
"We have every right to speak and to say: this must stop. Do not silence us."
Senior Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves echoed the call to ban guns.
"No guns, no guns in our own remote community. We don't want no guns," he said.
"Enough is enough.
"It's got to stop. To our people, let us stand strong.
"Let us respect each other and we do not want to see another black young fella, or a girl, to be shot."
Mr Walker's cousin, Samara Fernandez-Brown, said she sometimes wondered how the Warlpiri teenager spent his final moments.
"Was he scared? Terrified, I imagine," she said.
"Was he in pain? Excruciating pain, I would think. And he was alone."
Ms Fernandez-Brown said the family "cannot put our grief into words".
"His death has affected our community and our family in ways that we can't describe," she said.
"We are all in so much pain, particularly our young men."
Ms Fernandez-Brown said throughout the trial, her cousin was "depicted solely as a dangerous individual" who was "picked apart" by people who didn't know him.
"They saw only his flaws, and wish to put him on trial for his own death," she said.
"That is disgusting, and that's the system we live in."
Ms Fernandez-Brown said Mr Walker would be remembered by his family and those who loved him as a "generous" and "joyful" man.
"We as a family and community will remember him as a young man who loved animals, who loved his family, who loved his partner, his friends, his homelands, who loved music," she said.
"He was a traditional young Aboriginal man who loved hunting and being out on country.
"He was a joyful young man who was generous.
"A young man who was taken far too soon and a young man who has been deeply, deeply missed."
Ms Fernandez-Brown said Mr Walker would be "proud" of his supporters, and this was "not the end of his story".
"After some rest, we will turn our attention to the coronial inquest, where we hope our truth will finally be heard and so will questions that we have not had answers to, to ensure that this doesn’t happen to anybody else or any other family," she said.
"We are deeply disappointed and even though we were given a trial, I can't with honesty say that it’s been fair.
"We will return home and will continue our healing process, but this not the last you will hear from Kumanjayi Walker's family."
Crown Prosecutor Philip Strickland SC said the shooting in Yuendumu, and Mr Walker's death, "raised issues", some of which could not be explored in the murder trial.
"We fully respect the decision of the jury, as we must," he said.
"We anticipate that those issues and the evidence that could not be examined in this trial will be very carefully scrutinised at the inquest.
"It is our view that the family of Kumanjayi Walker and the Warlpiri community and the Australian people deserve no less than that full scrutiny."
In a statement, North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency chief executive officer Priscilla Atkins said "lessons must be learnt by police from this tragedy".
"Aboriginal people must be safe in dealings with police," she said.
"Police need to change how they act in Aboriginal communities.
"Guns are not the way."
