‘Staggering’: watchdog condemns police after Indigenous teenager on bus wrongfully arrested – then searched

Ombudsman Iain Anderson says he is concerned police ‘had no clearly understood definition of racial profiling’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The commonwealth and ACT ombudsman has criticised the Australian federal police for failing to clearly define “racial profiling” after police in Canberra pulled guns on an Indigenous teenager they mistook for a suspect in an aggravated burglary. The scathing investigation, released on Tuesday, made eight recommendations to the Australian federal police (AFP) and ACT policing after investigating the November 2025 incident. ACT policing sits under the AFP as the community policing arm. The 17-year-old boy, referred to by the pseudonym Jay in the ombudsman’s report, boarded a bus in Woden on the evening of 11 November 2025. ACT police stopped the bus and three officers entered with guns drawn. After being taken off the bus at gunpoint, Jay was then brought to the ground, handcuffed and arrested, the report said. Less than 90 seconds later, police realised their mistake. Police had mistaken him for a suspect in an aggravated burglary. Police released Jay