Pathologist finds cause of death in custody of 24-year-old Yuendumu man 'undetermined'

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A 24-year-old Aboriginal man who died after being restrained by police in Alice Springs was from the remote community of Yuendumu. NT police said the man stopped breathing soon after two police officers restrained him in a supermarket about 1:10pm on Tuesday. Police are treating the incident as a death in custody and will prepare a report for the coroner.

Transcript

00:00What began as a trip to the supermarket escalated into a deadly altercation with police.

00:09We can confirm the male was taken to the ground and he remained on the ground for a number of minutes.

00:14Police say the man stopped breathing shortly after officers restrained him,

00:19following violent behaviour towards security guards.

00:22The early autopsy results leaving more questions than answers.

00:27At this stage the cause of death is undetermined and the pathologist is required to do further investigation.

00:33In a statement, senior Walpree man Ned Jumperjimper Hargraves identified the man who died as his grandson

00:40and said the community was demanding answers and justice.

00:44This young man was living away from his community in town in supported accommodation

00:49because of his disabilities and he was very vulnerable.

00:52He needed support and not to be criminalised because of his disability.

00:56Community leaders left devastated today.

01:00Everyone's really, really sad about what has happened to this young man.

01:05And angry at the loss of life.

01:08For me I just, you know, felt sick to know that another Aboriginal person has been killed by police.

01:14Police investigating police is never going to see justice or the truth realised.

01:18Eyewitnesses say they saw the 24 year old being violently wrestled and slammed to the ground and they heard him screaming in distress.

01:27Thirty people have died in custody this year alone in Australia and eight of them have been First Nations people.

01:34You know, we need to have an intervention. Emergency intervention, but not on Aboriginal people, but on the government to be accountable.

01:41We need systems that are accountable, that are open and transparent with the community and people affected by something as tragic as this.

01:49A report will be prepared for the coroner.

01:52A report will be prepared for the coroner.

01:56Their students will not be prepared for the coroner.

02:06But they will lets proceed sanitarium as the student who believes in parental human violence is currently Wicklow.

02:09They will feed us servants over the political side.

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