EXCLUSIVE
A shopkeeper who allegedly shot dead a mother and then shot a good Samaritan who ran to his aid in central Queensland had his life saved as a teenager after being bitten by one of the world’s deadliest snakes .
Ryan Geoffrey Cole Allegedly Caused Shooting on Wednesday – His 31st Birthday
Ryan Geoffrey Cole, 31, allegedly shot his neighbor Natalie Jane Frahm, 34, in the head and chest as she pulled up in her car outside her home in Robb Place, South Mackay, on Wednesday afternoon .
James Trevor McGill, 66, who was on the street visiting his elderly mother, ran to help Mrs Frahm and was also allegedly shot in the chest. Mrs Frahm died at the scene while Mr McGill was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Daily Mail Australia can reveal that Cole, who celebrated his 31st birthday on the day of the alleged murder, made headlines in 2008 after being bitten on the foot by a Coastal Taipan, the third most venomous snake in the world.
Then, aged 15, Cole was jumping into the Burnett River in his hometown of Mundubberra, about 390 kilometers northwest of Brisbane, when the snake struck him twice on the foot.
Natalie Frahm, 34 (pictured), has been identified as the alleged victim of the attack.
Police are pictured processing the scene in Robb Place, South Mackay, on Wednesday after the alleged double shooting.
He began convulsing and bleeding from the mouth, but was saved by his 16-year-old brother Jakob and classmates Scott Smith, Josh Allen, Lee Carsons and Torren Wood, who dragged him out of the waterhole and bandaged his foot. with a t-shirt and called triple-0.
Cole was rushed to hospital and given almost a liter of antidote to save his life.
Cole (left) made headlines in 2008 after being bitten by (and surviving) the world’s third most venomous land snake.
Incredibly, it was the second time Cole had been bitten by a snake.
“I think I’m going to have to be a little careful when I go into the bush in the future,” Cole told media at the time.
Cole’s older brother and friends received the bravery award in 2011 for their rescue efforts.
Tragically, Jakob Cole died the following year, in July 2012, aged 20.
Daily Australia understands the South Mackay property where Cole lived is owned by his mother, however it is unclear if she also resided at the premises.
Ms Frahm, a single mother, moved to Mackay several years ago from her hometown of Mount Isa, 1,230 kilometers west in outback Queensland.
The tragedy has rocked the quiet seaside suburb, which was plunged into a massive emergency lockdown amid the alleged shootings.
Police will allege Cole opened fire on Ms Frahm at around 4.30pm while she was sitting in her car with two teenage girls, her daughter and her daughter’s friend, before fleeing the scene in a Mitsubishi Triton.
The incident forced police to close off the surrounding area while they searched for the alleged gunman (pictured, exclusion zone)
The teens, ages 11 and 12, fled to a nearby residence to seek help, before McGill, who was in the area visiting his elderly mother, was allegedly shot.
Police were called and an exclusion zone was established at 5:20 p.m. as officers searched the area for the suspected gunman.
Cole was arrested at around 7.45pm outside a service station on Bruce Highway, near Hilton Street, about 2km away.
It is understood that Cole and Frahm did not know each other, but lived on the same street.
A neighbor said she was shocked by the chain of events and said she frequently saw Cole on the street.
“It seemed nice,” he said.
‘He’s been living there for a while. He seemed like a man of good style. He always walked by and smiled. He saw him working on his boat or with his carpenter’s cart.
‘(What supposedly happened) is all very sad.’
Cole appeared at Mackay Magistrates Court on Thursday morning via video link from the guardhouse, charged with murder and attempted murder.
He was remanded in custody to appear in court again at a later date.
