Coronial inquests are usually a solemn and grim exercise in hindsight, looking into events leading up to a tragic death. It’s not uncommon for families to wait years for their loss to be investigated by a coroner, which can be traumatising – especially if the loved one had a violent death in custody.
The families of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker, who was shot dead by police constable Zachary Rolfe during an attempted arrest in Yuendumu in 2019, have waited three years to hear what they described as “absolutely horrific” revelations in his inquest this week – not about the way their young man died, but about the “disgusting and racist” words and alleged questionable conduct of the officer who shot him.
