Police charge 35-year-old Varsity Lakes man after Edge Hill shooting

A motorist who allegedly shot a man after a car crash on a Far North street has now been charged following a three day manhunt.

A motorist who allegedly shot a man after a car crash on a Far North Queensland street has been charged after a three day manhunt.

Emergency services responded after reports a man was shot on Collins Ave at 1pm on Thursday.

Police will be alleged two vehicles collided and one person discharged a firearm at another person, before leaving on foot.

A 43-year-old man was located later that day with a non-life threatening single gunshot wound to the leg.

A 35-year-old Varsity Lakes man has been charged with acts intended to maim, disfigure, or disable and contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically.

He is expected to appear before the Townsville Magistrates Court on April 1.

Police had earlier located two of the three people they believed to be involved in the shooting in the leafy suburb of Edge Hill.

The two people, including a man with a gunshot wound and a woman in her 30s, were assisting police with their investigations. They have not been charged with any office.

Queensland Ambulance Services confirmed they assessed the man with a gunshot wound to the leg at a private residence in Woree on Thursday night around 9.40pm, before transporting him in a stable condition to Cairns Hospital.

Edge Hill was brought to a standstill on Thursday when reports of a gunshot being fired on Collins Ave near the Tanks Art Centre around 1pm forced authorities to establish an exclusion zone and order residents into their homes.

It’s understood following the crash, the male occupant of a white SUV allegedly approached a male driver of a black Audi before a shot was fired, Detective Acting Inspector Jason Chetham said.

“We were able to speak with a witness to that particular incident,” Det A Insp Chetham said on Thursday afternoon.

A black Audi TT coupe involved in the initial incident was later found abandoned outside a Pease Street address. Picture: Brendan Radke

“They advised that she may have seen an occupant of a white motor vehicle exit and then speak with a black Audi involved in the accident and subsequently a shot was fired at the scene.

“One of the occupants of the black Audi has been wounded by that particular incident and he was helped back into the vehicle by a female who was travelling with him.

“Both vehicles exited the scene quite quickly and weren’t there when police arrived.”

Detective Acting Inspector Jason Chetham provided an update out the front of Edge Hill State School, after the lockdown was lifted. Picture: Brendan Radke

The black Audi was later found outside a residence on Pease St where police deployed a small army of officers, including frontline staff, the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB), Specialist Emergency Response Team (SERT) officers, sniffer dogs and forensic investigators.

“We subsequently entered that house and found no one there,” Det A Insp Chetham said.

“However, we do believe that the occupants of the house can assist us with the investigation.

“None of the people involved in the incident have come forward yet.”

Authorities’ investigation is now focused on the alleged assailant who fled the Collins Ave scene in the white motor vehicle, Det A Insp Chetham said.

A SERT unit patrols Pease St within the declared PSPA area.

“This is an unusual one where we think someone has been wounded and they haven’t stuck around.”

Police forensic officers collect evidence at the crime scene of Collins Ave. Picture: Brendan Radke

A huge exclusion zone set up at Edge Hill has been revoked by police about 3.45pm on Thursday.

Edge Hill State School was locked down as a result of the incident.

Originally published as Police charge 35-year-old Varsity Lakes man after Edge Hill shooting