A grieving family has broken their silence after two men chased a young woman down the street and shot her dead days before Christmas.
Chloe Jade Mason, 23, could not be revived after she was found unconscious outside a property in Caboolture, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, shortly after midnight on Sunday.
Police believe the young woman was shot while being “assaulted by two men,” who remain at large.
Mason’s heartbroken loved ones took to social media on Sunday to pay tribute.
“Grieve for the life you never had and the experiences we didn’t get the chance to share,” Sister Hannah McKone wrote.
“You would have been the most amazing mother.”
Mrs. McKone gave a GoFundMe to help cover the costs of his sister’s funeral.
‘Being so close to Christmas, his family has no savings or financial means to organize a funeral for him. “We are kindly asking for help and support in this,” he wrote.
Tributes have poured in for Chloe Jade Mason, 23 (pictured), just hours after she was assaulted and shot by two men in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, on Sunday.
Another sister, Danni Mason, remembered the young woman as a “daughter, sister, aunt and friend… who was loved by many.”
“This loss has devastated our family and we are finding it difficult to accept this so close to the holidays,” he wrote.
‘As sisters, we mourn the things she will not experience, all the things we cannot share and the memories we will not create. “She was an incredible woman.”
Detectives are treating the death as a homicide and have launched a search for the two men responsible.
“Early investigations indicate that the deceased was assaulted by two men, who may have chased her around the railway stop,” Detective Inspector David Harbison said.
‘During that assault, the deceased received a gunshot wound. Although the public nature of this crime is alarming, police do not believe this was a random attack.’
Neighbors told ABC they heard several gunshots shortly before the woman’s body was found.
“I heard about three or four gunshots and then a little bit of moaning, and then I heard a man yell fuck,” one recalled.
“(It was) very scary.”
Police have yet to identify two male perpetrators who they believe chased Ms Mason (pictured) down a road before she was shot.
Another added: ‘We know everyone. We are like a small family. We take care of everyone on the street.’
Police added that Mrs Mason’s family is “devastated”.
“It is a tragedy to lose a young life in such a violent way,” he said.
Police have no suspects and have asked anyone with information to come forward.