Helensvale shooting: Police hunt for gunman after 19yo shot in elbow
Police are searching for a man who allegedly shot a 19-year-old man in the elbow with a sawn off rifle during a carpark meet up on the Gold Coast.
Officers were called to a car park adjacent to Red Rooster on Sir John Overall Drive, Helensvale, about 6.20pm on Monday following reports a man had been shot in his right elbow.
Police will allege the 19-year-old had driven a stolen white Skoda SUV to the carpark, where he met up with another man who sitting in a parked white Nissan Cascade sedan.
Gold Coast District Criminal Investigation Branch Detective Inspector Chris Ahearn said police had been told the 19-year-old man walked up to the other car and the pair talked before things escalated and the second man pulled out a sawn off rifle.
“The victim has immediately turned and began to run ... he has heard a gunshot a short time later and has felt he has been shot in the right elbow,” he said.
“He’s fallen to the ground and the (second) male has gotten back into his car … and immediately fled that scene.”
The 19-year-old man was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital, where he is being treated for non-life threatening injuries.
“We’ve been speaking to the victim and he’s given us quite some insight,” Detective inspector Ahearn said.
“The victim remains in hospital and is undergoing medical treatment but thankfully he is in good condition with that gunshot wound being a relatively minor injury.
Detective inspector Ahearn said police believe the two men knew each other before the alleged shooting took place but confirmed they were not connected to any known gangs.
“Our mind’s open to all of these scenarios and that will be one of the focuses of our investigation going forward into the relationship between these two people,” he said.
Anyone with information is being urged to contact police.
“We believe other people were in those vehicles and we appeal to anyone with information to come forward to police,” Detective inspector Ahearn said.
“We think the person who shot (the 19-year-old) is potentially older, potentially in their 30s, but that will be the subject of our investigation going forward.
“We urge anyone out there who heard or have information about this matter to come forward so we can bring it to a swift resolution.”
Detective inspector Ahearn said it was “extremely concerning” that people were walking around the streets of the Gold Coast with illegal weapons.
“If you’re sawing off a rifle, you’re not doing it for a legitimate reason that’s for sure,” he said.
“Anyone discharging a firearm in a public place like this, admittedly there weren’t many people around at the time but it was in the vicinity of a fast food restaurant and there could have easily been many people in that area.
It poses a great risk to the community with people behaving this way.
The 19-year-old’s car was seized by police as officers continue examine the scene.
Investigators are appealing for CCTV footage or to anyone who may have relevant dash camera footage of the are area between 5.30pm and 7pm Monday to come forward.
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