A Northern Territory community police officer had no fears Kumanjayi Walker would go around "chopping people up" despite the teenager brandishing an axe in the days before his fatal shooting, an inquest has been told.
Giving evidence on Monday, Yuendumu officer Sergeant Lanyon Smith said he knew Mr Walker to be "a runner" and didn't feel he was a risk to the safety of police and other community members.
"I knew him as a known runner. He had previously run," Sgt Smith said.
"I did not have concerns that he was going to go around the community chopping people up with the axe.
"I did not have concerns that he was going to do anything other than run."
Sgt Smith told the inquiry of the failed attempt to arrest Mr Walker at a home in Yuendumu in the days before the fatal shooting.
He said at the time he did not know there was an imminent funeral in the community and that family members wanted the 19-year-old to attend.
Had he known of the funeral, and even if the arrest had been successful, he would have recommended the teenager be granted bail.
Sgt Smith agreed that understanding the importance of funerals and sorry business to Aboriginal communities would be valuable information for police officers to know.
He said it would be usual to have a system where families were encouraged to advise police of such upcoming events so that the information could be sent out as alerts to all officers.
In other evidence, Sgt Smith told the inquest that he had never had a need to draw his gun or his Taser while working in remote communities.
But he said he would continue to carry a gun as it was a requirement of police regulations.
He said the presence of guns in remote communities meant police should also be armed.
The inquest in Alice Springs is exploring 54 issues related to the life of Mr Walker and the actions of police before and after he was killed.
The Warlpiri man died after Constable Zachary Rolfe shot him three times during an arrest attempt in Yuendumu, northwest of Alice Springs.
Const Rolfe was later charged with murder but was acquitted after a Supreme Court trial.
The inquest continues.
