Horrified witnesses recalled the dramatic arrest of a man who allegedly shot dead a woman in a car with two teenagers before a good Samaritan was also injured.
Emergency services were called to the Robb Place home in South Mackay, central Queensland, shortly after 4.30pm on Wednesday after reports a woman had been shot.
Police arrived at the scene and found a 34-year-old woman dead at the scene and a 66-year-old man seriously injured with a gunshot wound to the chest.
The alleged gunman, 31, was arrested three hours later at a gas and fast food station in the neighboring suburb of Paget.
He was arrested and is assisting police with their investigations. No charges have yet been filed.
Heartbreaking new details have emerged that the woman had driven to the home when the man allegedly approached the car and allegedly fired a firearm.
Police have arrested a 31-year-old man who allegedly shot dead a woman and seriously injured a good Samaritan in South Mackay on Tuesday (pictured, police at the scene).
The incident forced police to close off the surrounding area while they searched for the alleged gunman (pictured, exclusion zone)
District Superintendent Graeme Paine said the two teenagers in the vehicle fled and sought shelter in a nearby house.
“To have experienced something absolutely shocking,” he told reporters Wednesday night.
“They were obviously very afraid and went to get help.”
He also revealed that the Good Samaritan ran to the woman’s aid when the alleged gunman opened fire on him, hitting him in the ‘top of the sternum.’
He was rushed to hospital in serious but stable condition.
It is unknown what type of firearm was involved.
Police issued a Public Safety Preservation Act (PSPA) around 5:20 p.m., closing an area bounded by Robb Place and Paradise, Archibald, Kindermar and Denton streets.
The PSPA was still in force until late on Wednesday night when police began the forensic examination.
Superintendent Paine said investigators have not yet uncovered details related to the motive for the alleged shooting, but “several different investigations are being exhausted.”
“There is nothing in our investigations to indicate that the parties know each other at this time, however, we believe they reside fairly close by,” he said.
“Obviously, we don’t know exactly what happened from the time the incident occurred to the time the police arrived. There is a fairly short period.”
Police have established several crime scenes, including Robb Place and the BP/KFC gas station, where the alleged gunman’s car was located.
A 66-year-old good Samaritan was also shot in the upper sternum and rushed to hospital in serious but stable condition (pictured, police at the scene).
Police revealed that two teenagers in the car fled to a nearby home on Robb Place (pictured) when a man allegedly opened fire.
Mechanic Tyler Camilleri arrived at the gas station moments before police swarmed the store and arrested the alleged gunman.
“I heard the brakes on one of the patrol cars go on and I thought it was a little strange, so I turned around and saw four, five or six patrol cars stop at the same time,” he told the newspaper. Mail.
“Everyone comes out and yells, ‘Put the gun down, you’re under arrest, stop, you know all that kind of stuff.'”
“He seemed to have left it pretty quickly by the time he saw all the cops.”
Camilleri learned police were looking for someone after his mother called him to tell him to “stay away from South Mackay”.
And then, boom, all this happened. Mom is not going to like that,” she said.
Witnesses recalled that six police cars entered the BP/KFC in neighboring Paget (pictured) to arrest the alleged gunman after his car was identified in the drive-thru.
Joseph Romal, who lives on one of the closed streets, returned home at 5 p.m. but was turned away by the police.
The public has been urged to avoid the exclusion area, while residents already at home have been told to stay home until further notice.
Footage from the scene shows police diverting traffic while officers searched the area.
Queensland Police thanked residents affected by the emergency situation for their “patience and understanding while this matter continues.”
Anyone with information has been urged to contact police.
