7 days ago
Sister of Indigenous woman shot by WA Police welcomes coroner's findings
The sister of an Indigenous woman who was shot dead by police in regional Western Australia has welcomed a coroner's finding that the death was preventable.
WARNING: The following story contains references to suicidal ideation and contains the image of an Indigenous person who has died.
The woman, known as JC for cultural reasons, was shot by then-First Class Constable Brent Wyndham in Geraldton in September 2019.
Coroner Ros Fogliani found the death of the 29-year-old Yamatji woman could have been prevented.
JC's sister, Bernadette Clarke, thanked the coroner and said the inquest had provided some comfort to the family.
"The coroner was our only voice when we could no longer use our voices," Ms Clarke said.
But the findings come as the family mourns the death of JC's foster mother, who passed away in May.
LJ was buried two weeks ago and Ms Clarke wished she been able to witness the findings.
"That's what hurts," Ms Clarke said.
"Knowing that you got all this information and old girl's not here to see it herself, you know — it played a big impact on me knowing that old girl was gone and she can't have her say too."
Ms Clarke said the family welcomed the adverse findings against Mr Wyndham, who has resigned from WA Police.
He was charged with JC's murder but acquitted after a landmark trial in 2021.
"I find that the coroner has acknowledged [Mr Wyndham's] wrongs," Ms Clarke said.
She also backed calls for police to undergo improved cultural awareness training.
"You've got to be trained up in a way where you've got to recognise that you're living in an Aboriginal community or country," Ms Clarke said.
Gerry Georgatos from the National Suicide Prevention and Trauma Recovery Project said Ms Fogliani's findings focused too heavily on JC's background.
"There should have been a greater focus on the officer and this officer's actions," he said.
He said WA Police needed to institute better screening to ensure officers are fit for duty.
"Cultural training is a given — it must happen," Mr Georgatos said.
"All the cultural training wouldn't have actually stopped this police officer doing what he did in my view."
The coroner made a total of nine recommendations, including collaboratively designed cultural awareness training that should be delivered by Indigenous people on a regular basis.
Police declined to be interviewed in response to the findings, but said in a statement that "a number of the recommendations" made by the coroner had already been implemented.
"The Western Australia Police Force is always striving to better serve our community and we will carefully consider the coroner's findings," the statement said.
