Staying on Indigenous issues,I want to talk about the tragic death of Cassius Turvey,a 15-year-old Noongar boy from Perth.
Friends and family are planning a candlelight vigil for Turvey at Perth’s Midland Oval on October 31 at 5.30pm to coincide with Halloween,one of his favourite events. There are national rallies planned for November 2.
Turvey was walking along a suburban Perth street at 4.30pm on a Thursday afternoon with a group of friends on October 13,when it is alleged that a group of males jumped out of a black ute and chased them with weapons.
The year 9 student who ran a part-time lawn mowing business was still wearing his school uniform. Friends who were with him at the time said the strangers accused them of smashing one of their car windows a day earlier.
Turvey and another boy who was on crutches were beaten with metal poles. Turvey sustained serious head injuries and died 10 days later in hospital.
Jack Brearley,21,was charged with Turvey’s murder on Monday and has been remanded in custody.
Meanwhile,Western Australia’s top cop has urged the community not to jump to conclusions,after a WA newspaper reported the attack was racially motivated.
AsHeather McNeillreports, this morning to say police were investigating whether it was a vigilante attack gone horribly wrong.
It may be a case of mistaken identity,it may be a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time,but I wouldn’t want anyone in the community to jump to any conclusions at this time other than that we have charged a person.
We’re not operating on any principles of racism or motivation at this point,other than to say we believe there was a damage incident that occurred,and that’s resulted in the murder of a very young boy.
I do understand the high public interest,this is a devastating outcome to have a young boy killed on the streets in Western Australia,it’s absolutely horrific.
After the killing,Blanch discouraged the community from taking the law into their own hands,saying that acting as a vigilante can lead to tragic outcomes.
Greens Senator Dorinda Cox,a Yamatji Noongar woman,was among those to pay tribute to the teen.
She wrote on Twitter:
#justiceforcassius
My heart breaks for Cassius Turvey’s family,friends and community.
He was only 15 years old when he was senselessly killed.
He was a young leader who will be remembered as a “vibrant,caring,jokester with a beautiful smile” who loved school and his family.
His grieving mother,Mechelle Turvey,described her son as a vibrant,caring and funny boy with a beautiful smile,and said she was appalled at the violence in the community.
A GoFundMe page set up to help Turvey’s family,titled #justiceforcassius has raised more than $178,000.