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A Northern Territory police officer charged with murder over the shooting death of 19-year-old Indigenous man Kumanjayi Walker was "acting in good faith" after he was stabbed by the teenager, a court has heard.

Constable Zachary Rolfe faced the Alice Springs Local Court by videolink from Canberra on Thursday, where defence lawyers asked for the case to be shifted to Darwin.

SBS News/Aneet Bhole

Mr Walker was fatally shot at his home in Yuendumu, 300 kilometres from Alice Springs, on the evening of 9 November.

David Edwardson, for Constable Rolfe, said there had been widespread misreporting of the facts of the case and a fair trial would not be possible in Alice Springs.

BREAKING: Court proceedings regarding the murder charge against an NT policeman have been adjourned to Dec 19. Kumanjayi Walker died after he was shot last month. NT Police has since charged one of its officers, 28 y/o Constable Zachary Rolfe, with one count of murder. @SBSNews — Aneeta Bhole (@AneetaBhole) December 12, 2019

Mr Edwardson said that on the night of the shooting Mr Walker "resorted to violent and potentially lethal force" against Constable Rolfe and his partner, who had been trying to arrest him.

"Before any shots were fired, Mr Walker, spontaneously and without warning, stabbed Constable Rolfe and then turned his attention towards Const Rolfe's partner," he told the court.

ABC News/ Grenville Turner

"We submit... that Constable Rolfe was acting in good faith when he discharged his firearm in response to the continued attempts by Mr walker to deploy his weapon against Constable Rolfe's partner."

“We got no money to travel to Darwin”: Friends and family of Kumanjayi Walker who died last month, after being shot by an NT policeman, say moving the case to Darwin will be a major financial burden on the community. pic.twitter.com/QoVqfxCT22 — Aneeta Bhole (@AneetaBhole) December 12, 2019

Warlpiri are conducting a peaceful sit in outside the Alice Springs local court to show support for the family of Kumanjayi Walker. @SBSNews https://t.co/jvsT07xQ1B — Aneeta Bhole (@AneetaBhole) December 12, 2019

He said the incident was captured by bodycam footage on both officers.

Supporters of Mr Walker's family and the Yuendumu community sat peacefully on the Alice Springs court lawns on Thursday. Some Warlpiri painted their foreheads white as a symbol of their mourning, and wore t-shirts stating "Justice for Walker".

A decision about whether the matter will be moved will be handed down later this month.

With additional reporting from AAP