In the final day of a protracted coronial inquest into a New South Wales Police shooting of a mentally unwell man in 2019, the family made an emotional plea for change in the NSW Coroner鈥檚 Court on June 23.
Todd McKenzie was suffering from a severe psychotic episode when NSW Police arrived at his home in Taree on July 31, 2019, and established a siege lasting nine hours. At 9.50pm, police broke into his home and shot Todd three times in the back.
June Wilkins, Todd McKenzie鈥檚 mother, and stepfather Neil Wilkins, told the court that they are tormented by the thought that their son鈥檚 death could have been avoided.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 want another family to have to suffer what we are going through,鈥 they said. 鈥淲e want to see justice for Todd鈥檚 death, accountability and for changes to be made to prevent deaths like Todd鈥檚 happening again.鈥
The inquest revealed that聽NSW Police special operations聽forces during the siege. Local police during his mental health crisis. NSW Police negotiators , assuring them that their son would not be hurt.
The Wilkins鈥 couple told the coroner that Todd was a 鈥渨arm, loving and wonderful young man鈥 and 鈥渁lways there for his sister and her family whenever they needed him鈥.
Forensic psychiatrist Kerri Eagle told the court earlier this week the potential benefits of consulting an independent psychiatrist during the police siege.
She said a psychiatrist could have reviewed clinical information and observations about Todd鈥檚 behaviour, spoken with his family and 鈥減rovided some strategies or advice as to how you might be able to de-escalate the situation鈥.聽
Eagle also suggested the family may have been able to help engage with Todd before police breached his home. 鈥淲hen people have severe psychosis, family are often the people who know them the best and who may have any restored ability to engage with that person.鈥
The family鈥檚 lawyers at the say that the expert evidence supports the family鈥檚 belief that Todd鈥檚 death could have been avoided.
Solicitor Karina Hawtrey said:聽鈥淚nstead of responding with brute force, we need to put psychological professionals in the driver鈥檚 seat when dealing with someone who needs to be treated with care and compassion.鈥
show that half of those shot dead by NSW Police over the past 20 years have suffered from mental illnesses.鈥疨olice attended 55,000 mental health incidents just in 2019.