WA Police say they are taking a spate of gun crime in the metropolitan area seriously after a young mother was caught in the crossfire of an attack in Perth’s east this week.
Two shootings within 24 hours in Thornlie and Cloverdale on Tuesday prompted State Crime acting Detective Commander Rod Wilde to address community concerns.
Police are investigating whether there was a link between the incidents, if they are bikie or gang-related, or if they have any connection to a gun store heist in Yangebup in November last year.
“One shooting is one too many so that’s what’s of concern to us,” Detective Commander Wilde said.Advertisement
“We take these matters extremely seriously, we put a lot of resources into them and those persons that are running around with guns need to be worried that we are coming, we’ll smash their front door down … search their house and arrest them.”
The shooting in Thornlie happened about 12.40am on Hume Street on Tuesday and was likely a case of mistaken identity.
Police said a bullet fired through a front window of the home narrowly missed a young mother and her 14-month-old son.
The second shooting took place on Finnan Street in Cloverdale about 11pm on Tuesday night, with about nine shots fired at the front of a home.
CCTV captured a vehicle leaving the area shortly after the drive-by shooting. No one was injured in either incident.
“Any house or any person that is subject to a random shooting, there’s obvious concern for the targeted individuals but also for the opportunity for innocent parties to be injured,” Detective Commander Wilde said.
“We know in the vast majority of these events that they are targeted events and the offenders and the victims are known to each other, but there’s always that risk to general members of the public and that is concerning.”
Detective Commander Wilde said police were still investigating if the shootings were linked to a heist at a Yangebup gun store in November last year where over 100 weapons were stolen.
He said it was also unclear whether the shootings were bikie or gang-related, but police called for information from the public about either incident.
The latest shootings comes after a block of units were targeted in Watermans Bay, and a 39-year-old man was seriously injured after he was shot in the leg in South Perth last week.
Make Sure You are Subscribed to our Facebook page!
Source: Sydney Morning Herald