The family of Kumanjayi Walker say they will take their time to reflect on the findings into the 19-year-old Warlpiri-Luritja man's death, which spans nearly 700 pages and makes 32 recommendations.
In an emotional day in the remote community of Yuendumu — 300 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs — Coroner Elisabeth Armitage delivered her findings into the 2019 death of Mr Walker, who was fatally shot by former Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe during a botched arrest.
Judge Armitage concluded Australia's longest-running coronial inquest by finding Mr Rolfe is a racist and that the NT Police Force exhibited "significant hallmarks of institutional racism".
Several police officials were present for the findings, including Acting NT Police Commissioner Martin Dole and Leanne Liddle, who is tasked with addressing racism in the force.
Despite repeated requests from Mr Walker's family that police be unarmed, four uniformed officers were seen carrying sidearms and tasers throughout the findings.
Warlpiri Elder Ned Jampijinpa Hargraves, who had invited Mr Dole to Yuendumu, said he was deeply disappointed the Acting Commissioner left before speaking to the family.
"I am so, so, so disappointed with him," Mr Hargraves said.
"He promised me that he was going to be around and wait until the meetings were over and we were going to meet up later.
"Apparently he just left without letting me know 'I've gotta go'."
Delivering her findings at the site of PAW Media — a Warlpiri media organisation — the Coroner told a crowd of community members, family, and media that Mr Walker's death was "avoidable" and that Mr Rolfe's attitudes may have played a role.
"That I cannot exclude that possibility is a tragedy for Kumanjayi's family and community, who will always believe that racism played an integral part in his death, and is a taint that may stain the NT Police," she said.
While she acknowledged that police are entitled to defend themselves from serious threats, she was firm in her assessment: "This was not a case of one bad apple."
"Instead, the evidence suggested that racist behaviour or language, although not uniform, was normalised within the Alice Springs police station during Mr Rolfe's time there as a junior police officer," she said.
Judge Armitage also criticised NT Police leadership for failing to rein in Mr Rolfe's behaviour.
"An officer who dehumanises and devalues the lives of arrestees may be less inclined to do everything necessary to avoid injuring them," she said, adding that the lack of oversight contributed to "a sense of impunity".
Mr Walker's cousin and longtime family spokesperson Samara Fernandez-Brown thanked the Coroner for travelling to Yuendumu and said the report was "overwhelming" in its detail. The family, she said, would take time to properly assess the findings.
She also expressed frustration with Mr Dole's early departure.
"I'm really disappointed he's not stuck around and spoken to Ned, I think that's utterly disrespectful," she said.
The NT Police have yet to issue a formal apology to Mr Walker's family nearly six years after his death. In a statement released following the findings, NT Police said Mr Dole extended his "heartfelt sympathies" to the family.
"Following conversations with senior community members, and in deep respect for the significance of this moment for Kumanjayi Walker's family and community, police returned to Alice Springs shortly after the formal proceedings concluded," the statement read.
Earlier, police said they would "carefully consider the Coroner's recommendations in full".
"We are committed to taking time to review and reflect on the findings and recommendations to continue our efforts to build a modern police force that serves all Territorians with fairness, respect, and integrity," the statement read.
