Community protests over Footscray deadly police shooting of Abdifatah Ahmed

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Victoria police has rejected claims the fatal shooting of a man in Melbourne’s west last week was racially motivated. This afternoon, hundreds rallied in Footscray questioning why officers weren't armed with tasers and calling for more mental health support.

Transcript

00:00Calls for change from a community in mourning.

00:11Hundreds rallying in the heart of Footscray to honor the life of 35-year-old Abdi Fatah

00:16Ahmed, who was shot dead by police last week after allegedly charging at officers with

00:21a knife.

00:22This killing has shaken us all. As a community, we are in a deep grave, and we are still in

00:30a shock.

00:31Protesters gathered just meters from where Mr. Ahmed was killed, before marching through

00:36Melbourne's west to Footscray police station in what police say was a largely peaceful

00:40protest.

00:43Those who knew Mr. Ahmed say he was struggling with his mental health.

00:46Abdi Fatah was a son, a brother and a young man in a clear distress. He needed care, kindness

00:55and support, not to be met with deadly force.

01:00Others suggested his race was a factor in his death. It's a claim Victoria police denies,

01:06saying we strongly reject any claims that this matter was racially motivated.

01:10So if I do something good, they will say Australia did something good. But if I'm on the bad side,

01:15they will say African or refugees are doing something bad.

01:18We need to build that trust between the police and the community.

01:22Five days on since Abdi Fatah Ahmed was shot dead, and the grief within the local community

01:27is still fresh. Many still have questions about the events leading up to the shooting,

01:31and whether it could have been avoided.

01:33Today police confirmed the officers involved in the fatal shooting were not armed with tasers.

01:39The force is rolling tasers out to all frontline officers, but just 60 percent currently

01:43have them.

01:47Mr. Ahmed's death will be reviewed by a coroner.

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