Gold Coaster Travis Brown shot dead by cops in carjacking chaos had ‘heart of gold’, say family
A 31-year-old man shot dead by police after an armed carjacking and running over a pensioner is described as having a “heart of gold” by grieving loved ones.
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Loved ones of a Gold Coast man shot by police as he attempted an armed carjacking after running over an elderly woman say he had “a heart of gold” and his death has left a “huge hole in our hearts”.
Family and friends have shared their grief over the dramatic death of 31-year old Travis Patrick Brown who was fatally shot by police at Brisbane Road, Arundel, on March 6.
According to an online fundraiser created by Brown’s former fiancee, Carli Crabbe, his death had left friends and family “heartbroken”.
“The sudden and unexpected loss of Travis has left us all with a huge hole in our hearts,” Ms Crabbe said.
“He was one of a kind with a heart of gold. You were a real one Travy and your [sic] going to be missed by so many.
“Your memory will live on forever.”
Ms Crabbe said the fundraiser, which had raised just shy of $3200 at the time of writing, was to assist Brown’s father and two brothers (Brown’s mother is deceased) with funeral and other associated costs.
When contacted by this masthead, she declined to comment further, citing the wishes of the family.
A former work colleague of Brown’s wrote of his disbelief at the sudden death of his friend.
“I still can’t believe it,” he said.
“I don’t want to believe that you’re gone, brother, and not coming back this time.
“My heart is shattered knowing you’re not here with us anymore. Just promise me after you’ve caught up with your mum that you’ll look out for us all from up there.”
The tributes made no mention of Brown’s manner of death, nor the events leading up to it.
According to police, the chain of events that led to Brown being shot began at about 9.15am, when police attempted to arrest him at Brown St, Labrador, in connection with another matter.
Brown brandished a firearm and fled to nearby Calvary Ct, where he stole a vehicle from an elderly woman after threatening her son with the gun.
He then ran over the 83-year-old’s legs - she suffered minor injuries - as he fled in a Honda CR-V, but didn’t make it far before police were able to spike the stolen car’s tyres.
On Brisbane Rd at Arundel, Brown attempted while armed to gain access to another vehicle with a teenage boy inside, but was shot dead by police as he did so.
The death is being investigated by the police Ethical Standards Command, overseen by the Crime and Corruption Commission.
The Courier-Mail has reported Brown was an associate of the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang.
Prior to his death last week, Brown was most recently in the media in 2018, when he and a co-defendant, Marley Anthony Artz, were charged with offences including grievous bodily harm in connection with a Paradise Point attack that left a man with a fractured eye socket and broken nose, among other injuries.
Artz and Brown subsequently pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assault occasioning bodily harm while armed and in company.
Artz served about nine months of a 21-month head sentence, while Brown was sentenced to a maximum of two years’ imprisonment.
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