Hunter Valley gunman: Man arrested after shot fired allegedly confronted trailbike riders
A man has been arrested following a large scale search in the Hunter Valley. Police are investigating claims he had fired one rifle shot into the air to scare away persistent trailbike riders who had been pestering his seriously-ill father.
Newcastle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Newcastle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Elderly driver pulled from car after crash into Cessnock shopfront
- Man charged over shocking footy brawl was ‘helping teammate’
Detectives are investigating claims that a man, who was arrested during a large-scale manhunt following reports a gunman on the loose at Kurri Kurri, had fired one rifle shot into the air to scare away persistent trailbike riders who had been pestering his seriously-ill father.
The man, 40, was arrested after he walked towards a police roadblock on Wednesday afternoon, about an hour after hordes of officers and a police helicopter descended onto the Coalfields town following reports that a gunman was walking around firing a rifle.
Trailbike riders first raised concerns that a gunman may have been on the loose after they claimed to have been confronted by a man armed with a rifle near a rural property.
Concerns quickly spread and prompted the town’s hospital to go into lockdown.
A Polair helicopter arrived and police set up a series of roadblocks after being told the gunman had fired the rifle before running into bushland about 12.15pm.
By 1.40pm, the 40-year-old was in custody and taken to Cessnock police station for questioning.
A rifle was found in a car on a property and a further 16 firearms and ammunition were seized from the property.
Detectives are now investigating whether the suspect had been caring for his elderly father, who had recently suffered a stroke, at the property.
Part of the investigation will centre on whether the man had grown tired of trying to stop noisy trailbike riders from travelling through the property and damaging his father’s recuperation when he allegedly fired one shot into the air.
The man was charged late on Wednesday with use unauthorised firearm, steal firearm, not keep firearm safely-not prohibited firearm/pistol, use intimidation/violence to unlawfully influence person, and fire firearm in or near public place.
He was refused bail to appear at Maitland Local Court on Thursday.
.