/ 04 March 2022

Top End cop gives evidence at his murder trial

Image source: AAP
Image source: AAP

Zachary Rolfe hasn’t spoken publicly since he shot and killed Indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker in November 2019 while on duty in the remote community of Yuendumu. And yesterday, he took the stand in his murder trial and spoke about the moments leading up to the shooting. Rolfe was trying to arrest Walker for an alleged assault on police officers when he says Walker stabbed him in the shoulder with a pair of scissors. He says the then-19yo tried to snatch his gun, which he was able to prevent. Rolfe then believed his partner was being stabbed, and he decided to shoot Walker to protect his colleague. Crown prosecutors say Rolfe’s first shot may have been justifiable, but the 2nd and 3rd shots were murderous. Rolfe said the additional rounds were necessary because the teen wrestled with his partner on the ground after the first shot. The trial in Darwin continues…

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