Police lay serious charges ater two men allegedly shot tradie, lead police on persuit

Two men are due before court on Friday after they were charged over their alleged roles in violent carjacking at Dalby, where a tradesman was shot in the groin.

Police have charged two men with attempted murder, after they were arrested after a full-scale pursuit along one of Toowoomba’s busiest streets on Thursday.

The men, aged in their 30s, are alleged to have shot a 23-year-old tradesman in the groin when he refused to hand over the keys to his work ute outside a suburban home in Dalby about 8.30am on Thursday.

Detectives investigate after a tradesman was shot by car thieves in Dalby before driving to Toowoomba.

Initial report indicated the victim was waiting in a Mitsubishi Triton ute at an address in Glen Eagles Drive when he was approached by two men.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said an altercation ensued after the worker refused to comply with the alleged offenders’ demands and he was shot during the scuffle.

The offenders fled in the Triton while the injured tradesman was transported to hospital by his co-worker where he was stabilised and flown to Toowoomba Hospital.

He was treated for what police have described as a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his upper inner thigh.

A male motorcyclist suffered minor injuries after he was allegedly hit by the offenders in the stolen Triton.

Meanwhile, police tracked the stolen Triton along the Warrego Highway to Charlton where they deployed road spikes and deflated its tyres.

The offenders continued through the city and struck a motorcyclist at the intersection of James and West streets about 10am.

One of the pursuing police units stopped to render first aid to the motorcyclist, aged in his 20s, and called for Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics to attend.

They treated the man for minor injuries and transported him to the Toowoomba Hospital.

Police spiked the Triton’s tyres at Charlton but it continued for some time.

Meanwhile, the Triton came to stop a short distance from the intersection and police took the men into custody.

The vehicle’s driver-side tyre had been worn down to the rims and it is understood police located two shortened .22 caliber rifles inside it.

Overnight, police charged a 31-year-old Dalby man and a 24-year-old Toowoomba man.
The Dalby man is charged with attempted murder, armed robbery, unlawful possession of weapons and unlawful use of a motor vehicle.
The Toowoomba man was charged with one count each of armed robbery, attempted murder, unlawful possession of weapons, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, dangerous operation of a vehicle and possess utensils.
They are both due in Dalby Magistrates Court on Friday.

Detectives established a crime scene at the corner of West and O'Quinn streets where two people were arrested in relation to a violent carjacking where one man was shot.

Darling Downs Detective Inspector Jason Kitto said police acted quickly to apprehend the alleged offenders.

“This is a very serious crime,” he said

“Offences in relation to firearms are obviously a priority for the QPS … where the offenders are basically carjacking a person’s vehicle and using a firearm to carry out that threat.

“It was good work by police on the ground in Dalby, the surrounding areas in Toowoomba who responded quickly, it was very important to get these two dangerous criminals off the street.”

The matter remains under investigation.

“I ask that anyone who has dashcam footage or information about the offence come forward to police,” Inspector Kitto said.

“If they don’t feel confident talking to police then they can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.”

Elderly man injured in separate carjacking incident

The incident came less than 24 hours after a 79-year-old man was assaulted during a carjacking at the BP service station at Charlton about 5.30pm on Wednesday.

Police ruled out any connection between the two offences but the Land Cruiser was sited by police several times though Thursday, including at Roma, Warwick and Jondaryan.

A QPS spokesman said the man was waiting at the service station when he was approached by two males.
They pulled him from the vehicle and in the resulting scuffle the man suffered lacerations and bleeding.

The 79-year-old was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital with head injuries.

The offenders fled in the man’s vehicle and proved a frustration for police through Thursday.

Police attended and located a separate, abandoned vehicle at the business which has been seized for forensic examination.

The silver 2017 Toyota LandCruiser utility with Queensland registration 01FWD remains missing.

It was reportedly spotted at Roma at 1.30am Thursday.