Updated May 1, 2026 — 8:51am, first published 10:42pm
Warning: This story contains images of a deceased Indigenous person.
Hundreds of people have rioted outside Alice Springs Hospital where a man accused of killing a five-year-old girl was being treated, in scenes the police commissioner described as “absolute anarchy” on Thursday night.
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas into an angry crowd of about 400 protesters who converged on the hospital shortly after Jefferson Lewis, 47, was arrested over the death of Kumanjayi Little Baby*.
Officers received multiple calls about 9.30pm on Thursday that Lewis was at one of the town camps in Alice Springs and was being violently assaulted by a group of people, Northern Territory Police Commissioner Martin Dole said.
Lewis had become the subject of one of the Northern Territory Police’s biggest manhunts after the body of Kumanjayi Little Baby* was found on Thursday by the Todd River.
Dole said detectives who arrived at the town camp intervened and arrested Lewis, who had received “quite a severe beating” and suffered significant head injuries. The officers – who themselves were also attacked during the arrest – took Lewis to Alice Springs Hospital for treatment, and soon a crowd of hundreds had gathered outside.
“Large crowds gathered at the hospital, up to about 400 people, and attempted to gain entry [to the hospital] to get to Mr Lewis,” Dole said. “It really descended into absolute anarchy.”
The angry crowd could be heard shouting “they got him” and demanding police hand Lewis over to be dealt with by the community.
Police were forced to take shelter and use tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd after protesters hurled abuse at them and smashed police car windows.
Police cars were set on fire and jumped on as the officers attemp
Read More