A former police officer who shot and killed a Warlpiri man during an attempted arrest has told a court the use of racist language was “normalised” within the Northern Territory police, with its elite tactical unit bestowing an annual racist mock award to the member who “behaved most like an Aboriginal”.
Zachary Rolfe shot Kumanjayi Walker three times while trying to arrest him on 9 November 2019 in the remote community of Yuendumu, about 300km from Alice Springs. Walker, 19, stabbed Rolfe with a pair of scissors shortly before he was shot by the then-constable three times. Rolfe was found not guilty in March 2022 of charges of murder and manslaughter relating to Walker’s death.
