David John Gundy | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 17, 1959 Casino, Australia |
| Died | April 27, 1989 (aged 29) Marrickville, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse | Doreen ('Dolly') Eatts |
| Children | Bradley Gundy |
David Gundy (17 June 1959 – 27 April 1989) was an Aboriginal Australian man who was killed by NSW police during an unlawful raid. Gundy's death sparked condemnation of police and was investigated as part of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
Biography edit
Gundy was born Antoniou Baden Polliette to an Italian father and Aboriginal mother, Barbara Gundy. After his parents' separation and following supervision by the Aborigines Welfare Board, Gundy and his three siblings were made wards of the state and placed into foster care, where Gundy was mistreated.
Gundy moved between foster homes, hostels and State boarding houses until the age of 18. He adopted the name David from a beloved foster brother after the latter's death from leukemia. ref https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/rciadic/individual/brm_djg/93.html
In 1976 he met Maiawali woman Doreen 'Dolly' Eatts and the two lived in a de facto relationship until his death thirteen years later. As Eatts was unable to conceive, the two informally adopted one of her sister's children, Bradley, in the custom of the Maiawali people. ref https://www.queenslandjudgments.com.au/queensland-reports/judgments-selected-for-reporting/editors-note/86517
Death edit
In 1989, Gundy was living in Marrickville and working at a welding supplies store. Although police would later attempt to portray Gundy as a criminal [need ref], it had been over seven years since his last conviction for breaking, entering and stealing. [ref above]
On 24 April 1989, Constable Allan McQueen and Probationary Constable Jason Donnelly of Sydney Anti-theft Unit was shot by a man later identified by members of the public as John Porter. McQueen would die of his injuries eleven days later. ref https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/rciadic/individual/brm_djg/15.html
Police informants lead to six premises where officers suspected Porter could be found. One was Gundy's house in Marrickville, which Porter had visited at some time before the shooting and which an informant indicated Porter might return to as police would not know of his connection to it. ref https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/rciadic/individual/brm_djg/19.html
Before 6am on the morning of 27 April 1989, officers from the Special Weapons and Operations Squad (SWOS) raided all six premises. These raids would later be found to be unlawful. ref needed
Seconds after forcing entry to the house, Detective Sergeant Terry Dawson kicked open the door of Gundy's bedroom as Gundy approached from inside the room. Dawson would later give evidence that Gundy reached for the officer's shotgun, and that in pulling it out of Gundy's reach, Dawson's finger accidentally pulled the trigger.
The inquiry into Gundy's death highlighted the speed of the operation, with the SWOS team leaving its form-up point 200 metres from Gundy's house and calling for an ambulance for Gundy within 110 seconds. ref https://www.austlii.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/rciadic/individual/brm_djg/60.html