Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this contains images and names of a deceased person.
New CCTV footage shows a furious crowd storming and ransacking an Alice Springs service station during a riot that followed the death of Kumanjayi Little Baby, as Jefferson Lewis is charged with her alleged murder.
Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said Mr Lewis, 47, was charged on Saturday night with one count of murder following an “extensive and complex” investigation.
The charges relate to the death of five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby, whose alleged abduction sparked a frantic five-day search, and devastated communities across the Territory.
Mr Lewis is expected to face Darwin Local Court later this week and remains in custody.
Mr Dole confirmed Mr Lewis was awake and had been able to be interviewed by police.
“This remains a deeply distressing matter,” Mr Dole said from Alice Springs police station on Sunday morning.
“Our thoughts are firmly with Kumanjayi’s family, loved ones, and the wider community that have been deeply impacted by these events.
“I would ask that the community respect the judicial process, and I would also ask that the community continue to respect the family as they continue to process their deep grief and sorrow.”
‘Disgusting’ looting caught on camera
As an uneasy calm settles over Alice Springs after a turbulent week, police are now turning their attention to violent scenes that unfolded in the town in the wake of Kumanjayi’s death.
A crowd of about 400 people rioted outside the local hospital where Mr Lewis was being treated for injuries on Thursday night after he was set upon by a crowd and taken into police custody.
Police on Sunday released new CCTV showing looting at a service station opposite the hospital.
A man can be seen in the footage smashing through the service station window before unlocking the doors, allowing a crowd of looters to flood inside.
“What you see is not people trying to practice traditional law,” Mr Dole said on Sunday.
“It’s abhorrent, it’s disgusting, and it will not be tolerated or accepted by the Northern Territory police.”
Alice Springs Police Superintendent Michael Ordelman said investigators were combing through hundreds of hours of CCTV, already identifying multiple people.
“It’s outright looting. The businesses involved have suffered extensive monetary loss,” he said.
At least 13 people have already been arrested, with more expected.
“Today we’ve had two people hand themselves in … there are others currently in custody awaiting charges,” he said.
The primary charges relate to aggravated burglary and stealing.
$200k damage bill
Early estimates suggest more than $200,000 worth of stock was stolen from the targeted service station, with structural damage still being assessed.
Mr Ordelman described the behaviour as “outright looting”. He said large quantities of alcohol were also later stolen from a nearby distillery.
Police have urged anyone who recognised people involved to come forward.
“If you were involved, I would encourage you to come and hand yourself in before we come for you,” Mr Dole said.
Uneasy calm as community grieves
Alice Springs, however, is quiet this weekend. It was a ghost town on Friday and Saturday night with the usual country crowd absent. One bar owner told news.com.au it was the quietest they’d seen the town on a weekend in recent memory.
Police have urged the calm to continue.
But national outrage persists over the little girl’s death, with Liberal Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price calling for an inquiry into conditions in town camps and the circumstances surrounding her death.
Kumanjayi Little Baby had been visiting family with her mother when she was allegedly abducted.
Police said the investigation remained ongoing, with further developments expected as the matter proceeded through the courts.
“This is a horrific set of circumstances,” Mr Dole said.
“And our thoughts remain strongly with the family and the community.”
