Gunman on the run: Police plea after man fires semi-automatic, ‘burns down house’
Details have been released of an alleged gunman involved in three terrifying incidents where he is believed to have fired a semi-automatic rifle before burning down the house of a woman he’d earlier tried to coerce into his car. VIDEO
Police & Courts
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Police have released the name and photograph of an alleged gunman involved in three terrifying incidents where he is believed to have fired rounds from a semi-automatic weapon before burning down the house of a woman he’d earlier tried to coerce into his car.
Mitchell Wilson, 27, has been on the run since Thursday after cutting off his electronic monitoring device he was ordered to wear while on bail for drug trafficking offences.
Police say he is “armed, dangerous, irrational, but particularly unpredictable” and should not be approached.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said police had attempted to find Mr Wilson through overt and covert strategies over the past two days before making the decision to release his name and image to the media on Sunday.
“Mr Wilson on Thursday was wearing an electronic tracking device as part of his bail conditions for drug trafficking,” he said.
“While wearing that device, he attended a business premises at South Pine Rd at Brendale where he engaged in a discussion with another male.
“That became heated.”
Det Supt Massingham said police were still attempting to determine how the two men knew each other and whether the dispute was over a “transaction”.
“Mr Wilson, during this dispute, returns to his vehicle and obtains a semi-automatic firearm,” he alleged.
“That firearm is then discharged a number of times into the ground in the vicinity of where the other man was standing.
“Shortly thereafter, there would be what I’d call a life and death struggle for that firearm between the two men that lasts for some time.”
He described the struggle as “disturbing and concerning” and alleged the man from the business “stood his ground while under fire”.
“How no-one was shot during that incident is a big surprise to me,” Det Supt Massingham said.
He said Mr Wilson managed to get his rifle back and allegedly fired another shot before leaving in a grey Audi.
Later that evening, after removing his tracking device, Mr Wilson arrived at another business on Logan Rd at Mount Gravatt.
At that business, he got out of his car and waited on a seat in an alleyway until two women, who had been working nearby, came past.
Police said Mr Wilson knew the women.
“When those females walked down a darkened laneway, Mr Wilson appeared and ordered one of the females to enter the grey Audi,” Det Supt Massingham alleged.
“She refused. He then returned to the vehicle, obtained the firearm and threatened both women with that firearm.
“Fearing for their lives, both women fled on foot, hiding in nearby bushes.”
Det Supt Massingham alleged Mr Wilson fired another shot from the rifle as the women ran away.
“At this stage it’s indeed a semi-automatic rifle (and) we can’t exclude it as being an AK47,” he said.
Twenty minutes later, at 9.15pm, Mr Wilson arrived at a house in Sunnybank carrying a jerry can of fuel. Police are yet to determine when Mr Wilson purchased the fuel.
Det Supt Massingham said the woman he tried to coerce into his car was connected to the house but was not there when Mr Wilson arrived.
“We will allege that once again, he was in possession of the firearm,” Det Supt Massingham alleged.
At the house, Mr Wilson spoke with a man.
“It was clear at that time that he was in search of the location of the female from the previous incident,” Det Supt Massingham said.
“He then entered the residence and poured fuel through the hallways and one of the bedrooms before setting the house alight.
“That man successfully was able to flee to safety but a pet dog did perish in that fire.”
A man who lives near the home that was set on fire said he heard yelling and crying in the moments before the blaze.
“My wife called emergency services and me and a neighbour went past to ask if anyone was there but we didn’t get a response,” he said.
The resident said the fire was well involved by the time he arrived.
“I heard a loud boom from the fire before he (the suspected arsonist) ran off,” he said.
“The smell of smoke was so strong we had to close the windows.
“We are just worried because they don’t know where he (the suspect) is.”
Another resident, Ben Penfold, said yelling drew him outside where he discovered the neighbouring property was on fire.
“It only took about five minutes for the fire to fully take over,” he said.
“I ran outside straight away to see if everyone was OK but fireys arrived pretty quickly,” he said.
Det Supt Massingham said a large number of police were involved in the search for Mr Wilson, including officers who had been called back from leave.
“We ask that if people are harbouring him to do the right thing and convince him to hand himself in to the nearest police station,” he said.
“We are also asking accommodation providers, particularly on the northside of Brisbane, to check any of their current clients and see if Mr Wilson is seeking accommodation at any of their premises.
“I urge Mr Wilson, if he hears my message today, to make contact with us and safely negotiate his surrender.
“It is important as a community that we do all we can to locate Mr Wilson before any further incidents occur.”
The grey Audi has been recovered and police say it is possible he is in a different vehicle.
Mr Wilson has links to the northside of Brisbane, including the Bracken Ridge and Redcliffe areas.
Anyone who knows of Mr Wilson’s whereabouts should contact Triple 0.
General information should be directed to Policelink on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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