Northern Territory Police after under fire for failing to warn the public about a violent mentally ill aboriginal criminal who cut off his ankle bracelet and fled custody in Darwin.
The police media unit said on Wednesday that Kevin Gurruwiwi, 21, who also goes by the name of Kevin Yunupingu, was not a risk to the public, but warned officers searching for him that he is known to carry weapons, and has a long history of violence and a psychotic disorder, The Australian reported.
The escapee faced more than 150 charges before youth courts, including for serious offences that cannot be reported since he was a minor at the time, and also has ADHD and foetal alcohol syndrome disorder.
But the police statement after Gurruwiwi’s escape said: “While police do not believe he poses a risk to the general public, members of the community are advised not to approach him.”
Police said they received a report that Gurruwiwi had absconded from a facility in Howard Springs at 10.20pm on Tuesday, after being last seen during routine bed checks at 7pm.
Staff were then alerted by his electronic monitoring device that it had been cut off near Catalina Road and Flockhart Drive in Marlows Lagoon, and officers were sent to the area.
The NT Department of Corrections said Gurruwiwi had escaped from the Forensic Disability Unit, which is not one of their facilities, and the police updated their statement to reflect that on Wednesday night.
On Thursday they released a more recent image of the escapee.
Header image credit: Northern Territory Police.
