A mother and daughter who were tragically shot dead by a gunman in their Perth home have been remembered as beloved pillars of the community.
Jenny Petelczyc, 59, and her daughter Gretl, 18, were shot by a 63-year-old man who had arrived at their home in Floreat, west of Perth, on Friday looking for his ex-partner.
Ms Petelczyc and the man died at the Berkeley Crescent residence, while Gretl was rushed to hospital, where she sadly died on Saturday morning.
The 18-year-old was a talented water polo player who graduated from St Hilda’s Anglican School in 2022.
Jennifer, who called herself Jenny, had been widowed after her husband Jon Petelczyc, a director at a local business consulting firm, died in August 2019.
The family is survived by the couple’s other adult daughter, Liesl, who police said was not at the property.
Jenny Petelczyc, 59, and her daughter Gretl, 18, were shot by a 63-year-old man who had arrived at their home in Floreat, west of Perth, on Friday looking for his ex-partner.
At a press conference on Saturday afternoon, WA Police Detective Inspector David Gorton revealed the man, a registered gun owner, visited the house looking for his ex-wife before shooting the two women. .
Police arrived at the property and heard the man fire one last shot, which is believed to be the moment the 63-year-old took his own life.
“The 63-year-old man was licensed to carry firearms in the state of Western Australia,” Inspector Gorton said.
“He was the owner of the firearms that we believe, at this time, were used.”
He also confirmed that the man was known to police.
Detectives are investigating whether the shooter tied the hands of one of the women.
Inspector Gorton also confirmed that the man’s ex-wife and daughter were in the care of the homicide squad.
‘We are giving them all the support we can.
“They are obviously very distressed by the circumstances and will be referred appropriately for advice by WA Police.”
Police were called to the home in the city’s northwest around 4:30 p.m. local time on Friday after the gunman opened fire.
The woman who later died was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital in a critical condition.
Police were at the scene of the shooting overnight.
“The incident is contained and there are no current threats to the public,” a police spokesperson said.
A police helicopter was sent to the area and flew over the area as part of the response.
Neighbors described the street as “friendly” and said a mother and her two adult daughters lived in the house. Western Australia reported.
Mourners turned out on the plush street on Saturday, some bringing bouquets of flowers.
Friends of the two women tragically shot to death consoled each other outside the house
Neighbors described the street as “friendly” and said a mother and her two adult daughters lived in the house, The West Australian reported.
Police rushed to Berkeley Crescent in the Perth suburb of Floreat on Friday afternoon.
A police helicopter circled overhead at the height of the large-scale police operation.
Young neighbor Archer Beattie told 9News he heard screeching tires, driving, “a lot of sirens and then the occasional crunching sound.”
Another neighbor named David said his daughter was in the backyard with the family dog and heard gunshots.
‘He ran inside, locked the doors and waited until we got home. “She said she just knew they were gunshots,” she said.
‘He said there were three or four shots.
“We know the family (at that address) reasonably well and just hope they are okay.”
Another neighbor, Indiana Bond, told The West that the incident, as it unfolded, was “pretty scary.”
“It was kind of a roller coaster… there were about two people around 18 or 19 years old talking to a police officer in front, and about 15 minutes later we heard sirens,” he said.
‘There was a whole mess and we went out to have a look and then we saw the (TRG) outside the house.
“Then we heard ‘bang, bang, bang, bang,’ those gunshots, then we saw the police arrive, the ambulances arrive and block the whole street immediately.
“There wasn’t any rapid fire, but it was a lot of single shots, so it sounded like some kind of back and forth action… it was pretty scary.”
In a social media post, state MP Christine Tonkin said it would take time until the circumstances of the tragedy became clear.
‘We know that people in this neighborhood are shocked, confused and grieving. It will take time to make sense of what happened and for life to return to some semblance of normality.
“In the meantime, let’s be kind to each other.”
Floreat is an upscale suburb about 8 kilometers northwest of Perth’s CBD, known for its multimillion-dollar homes and manicured gardens.
The area remains closed to the public while detectives and forensic officers investigate the scene.
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