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Police officer allegedly points gun at teenage girl filming arrest in Bourke

Vision of the arrest shows officers on top of 18-year-old Kyeran Smith, before one of them aims the gun at the camera.

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A NSW police officer has pointed a gun at a 14-year-old Aboriginal girl whilst making an arrest in Bourke. Source: Supplied

A NSW police officer has allegedly pointed his gun at a 14-year-old Aboriginal girl during the arrest of a man in the north west community of Bourke.

The incident occurred on Thursday afternoon in the small town.

There they arrested 18-year-old Kyeran Smith at an address in Oxley Street, with two videos surfacing online showing parts of the interaction.

In a short video, Mr Smith is seen being held on the ground by a police officer, with his hands pinned behind his back.

Two other police officers navigate the crowd, one removes a weapon from his belt and aims it at the person filming before it cuts out.

It's alleged this was a 14-year-old Aboriginal girl.

A second video shows Mr Smith being removed from the property and detained in a police vehicle.

NSW Police told NITV that they were "aware of the vision" and are conducting a review into the "circumstances of the arrest".

On Friday morning, NSW police released a statement saying both an 18-year-old man and a 14-year-old boy were charged with a number of offences following an investigation into an aggravated break and enter in a Bourke home early that morning and were both set to face court today.

Mr Smith's family says he was not involved.
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A NSW Police officer aiming his weapon at what is believed to be a 14-year-old girl filming the arrest in Bourke. Source: Supplied

Request for ambulance refused

Mr Smith's father, Peter Shillingsworth was in Queensland when he heard about the incident but quickly rushed home.

He told NITV the family is extremely distressed after seeing the footage.

"We all saw the video, our little ones watched it and are distraught also," he said.

"Our little fulla is eight, he saw the video when the police pulled out the gun and he screamed."

The family said Mr Smith was in a bad way after he was detained, and had requested for police to call an ambulance.
They family alleged that no ambulance was called for Mr Smith despite his requests.

A relative of Mr Shillingsworth claims they spoke to a Sergeant at Bourke Police Station about Mr Smith's condition not long after his arrest questioning their refusal of medical treatment.
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Kyeran Smith was arrested in Bourke on Thursday, the video of his arrest is circulating online. Source: Supplied
NSW Police said ambulance paramedics attended Bourke Police Station at 7:30pm that evening however, "did not recommend further treatment or hospitalisation".

Late on Thursday night, Mr Smith's mother was able to see her son while he was detained. They have not spoken to him since.

Mr Shillingsworth said the incident is the latest in a line of negative interactions between the community and police in the past few years.

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3 min read
Published 13 January 2023 4:27pm
Updated 13 January 2023 5:19pm
By Rachael Knowles
Source: NITV


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