WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch has not be drawn on the motivations behind the alleged murder of 15-year-old Aboriginal boy Cassius Turvey.

“We are not operating on any principles of racism or motivation at this point other than to say we believe there was a damage incident that occurred and that resulted in the murder of a very young boy,” he said.

“I think it would be wrong of me to speculate at this time what the reasons were for this murder.”

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Jack Brearley, a 21-year-old from Middle Swan, was charged on Monday with murder and was remanded into custody, some 11 days after he allegedly attacked Cassius and three of his friends as they were walking to the shops after school.

Cassius’s mother, Mechelle Turvey, is an Aboriginal liaison officer at Perth’s Acacia Prison and colleagues have described the “love and respect” towards her among the prison population.