Furious protesters and police have clashed in Melbourne after a homeless African man was shot dead by officers last week.
Abdifatah Ahmed, a 35-year-old Somali man with no fixed address, was shot dead in Footscray last Thursday after allegedly running towards two officers with a knife.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Police and protestors clash at scene of fatal shooting.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today
Police said the attending sergeant and constable opened fire when Ahmed failed to comply with commands to drop the weapon.
They confirmed the officers were not carrying tasers at the time.
Following the shooting, a group of about 30 people threw bottles at police on Hyde St, though they were not connected to Ahmed.
On Tuesday, a crowd of about 200 people gathered on Nicholson St, holding signs reading “Black Lives Matter”, “Justice”, “Who Are The Police Actually Protecting”.
Protesters said Ahmed had been struggling with mental health issues and argued police should have used tasers instead of firearms.
They’re calling for justice, an independent investigation, and better mental health support.
“The community was in deep shock. We came together to raise our voice,” Somali Community Inc president Farah Warsame said.
“We are still wondering why the police didn’t use any other means like capsicum spray or a Taser to de-escalate the situation.
“Why didn’t they look for some other way? It is human life at the end of the day.
“We are not condemning every Victorian police (officer), we are only calling for the officers involved to be held accountable.”
Berhan Ahmed, a speaker at the rally who knew Abdifatah, told the ABC he was a “gentleman” who would often ask for help.
“These kids are victims of the institutional system, they need mental health treatment, our people are dropping out of school like flies with the spray,” Ahmed said.
“We don’t need to blame victims, we need to support victims.”
Ahmed also urged Victoria Police to rebuild trust with the community.
“Police have to earn the respect, they need to earn it so we feel safe, but at the moment we don’t feel safe,” he said.
Victoria Police has launched an investigation by the homicide squad with oversight from its professional standards command.
The coroner will also investigate the incident that took place at the intersection of Paisley St and Albert St about 9pm last Thursday.
Police commander Timothy Tully said two officers involved would be absent from work for their wellbeing but will not be stood down.
He said not all Victorian police officers are equipped with tasers.
Victoria Police has rejected suggestions the shooting was racially motivated.
“Unfortunately, police were confronted with an extremely volatile and high-risk situation and made a tactical decision to use their firearms in a small matter of moments,” a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
“These decisions are made in line with rigorous training police receive around dealing with armed offenders, with the safety of the community and our officers the number one priority.
“This was an incident that could have impacted the safety of a large number of people who were in the area on the night.”
The rollout of tasers to all Victorian frontline police is expected to be complete by September 2026, with 60 per cent already equipped.
The spokesperson said the rollout was progressing “as fast as it possibly can”, but officers must still assess each situation to determine the appropriate use of force, even with tasers available.
