Ben Geppert visits scene after Gold Coast house shot up for second time in a week

Ben ‘Notorious’ Geppert has visited the scene of two terrifying shooting attacks amid fears the ex Hells Angels bikie may have been the intended target.

FORMER Hells Angels bikie Ben Geppert has visited the scene of a frightening early morning shooting attack.

Geppert was seen chatting to police officers who are investigating after a house next door to his former home was shot at for the second time in a week.

It’s understood the house on John Francis Dr at Carrara was shot at “multiple” times about 4am this morning.

Ben Geppert (left) chatting with a police officer at the scene of the shootings. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Police confirmed a man and woman were at home at the time of the shooting.

They are investigating whether Geppert – who lived until recently at the house next door – was the target of the attack but have no suspects at this time.

The house was also shot at five times in the early hours of Thursday morning.

Geppert until recently lived in a next door property. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Auto spraypainter Marcus Cutajar, who lives in Geppert’s former home, said he pursued the gunman down the street after this morning’s shooting.

“Well, (my partner and I) were asleep on the lounge when we heard gunshots,” he said

“I jumped up, I freaked out, I started looking for a weapon. Couldn’t find anything.

“Come running out here and opened my garage door.

Police officers conducting investigations at the scene. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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“I saw the guy on the other side of the road, on the balcony (of a unit complex) and I’ve just seen him run down the road.

“So I chased him down there, couldn’t see him, came back and jumped in the car. Thinking because I couldn’t hear him in a car or anything I could locate him.

“Honestly, so pissed off. I was ready to run him over.”

Neighbour Marcus Cutajar said he chased after the gunman. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Mr Cutajar said he had been told one of the bullets shot into the house narrowly missed his neighbour’s foot.

“When they first started shooting, (one of my neighbours) felt the bullet go straight past their foot,” he said.

“Like felt the wind from the bullet go straight past their foot. How scary is that?”

Several residents on John Francis Dr said they were upgrading their security after the second shooting.

A police officer at the scene of the shooting this morning. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

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Gold Coast Police Detective Inspector Brendan Smith, from the Criminal Investigation Branch, largely dismissed suggestions the shootings were bikie-related.

“I don’t think you can say at this point it’s linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs,” he said.

“It’s not unusual for them to use that sort of strategy but they know where each other lives and it’d be unusual for them to make that mistake, certainly twice.

“Certainly that’s one of the lines of inquiry, but at this point there’s nothing to suggest that and, I mean, that person (Geppert) hasn’t lived in that street for some time.”

Det Insp Smith confirmed one bullet narrowly missed a resident.

He said the couple who were in the home were ”distraught” and “dumbfounded”.

“One of the rounds has gone through the bedroom and lodged in the wall,” Det Insp Smith said.

“It’s just lucky that they weren’t standing up – we could be talking about a murder.

“You don’t expect to be lying in your bed and have your house shot up.”

Gold Coast Police Detective Inspector Brendan Smith, from the Criminal Investigation Branch. Picture: Jack Tran.

Asked if police were concerned about further shootings, Det Insp Smith said officers “can’t rule it out but certainly we’ll have a number of strategies in place to ensure the safety of everyone in that community”.

Investigations are ongoing and police have appealed for information from anyone in the area between 3.30-4.30am.

Det Insp Smith said police were particularly “keen to hear” from residents with CCTV systems or motorists using dashcams.

Know more? Phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.