Bermuda St, Gold Coast: Shot allegedly fired at car

Police allege the at-large “armed and dangerous” man they believe fired shots into a truck on Friday was wearing an ankle tracker at the time. Read the police update

Police beside the car which was shot at. Picture: 9 News Gold Coast.

A suspected Lone Wolf bikie wanted after an alleged road rage shooting was wearing an ankle bracelet at the time of the incident.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for Saleh Atasoy from Oxenford after he allegedly fired at a motorist at the roundabout at Nerang Broadbeach Rd and Robina Parkway at 2.30pm on Friday.

Officers are warning the public not to approach Atasoy, say he’s armed and considered dangerous, and urge anyone aware of his whereabouts to instead contact police.

Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Garrett said Atasoy was seen driving “erratically” in a white Isuzu D-Max before the “extremely agitated” 37-year-old allegedly got into an argument with a Ford Ranger driver when the gun was pulled.

“(He) was driving erratically along Nerang Broadbeach Rd, cutting in and out of other cars, and eventually cut in front of (the Ford Ranger driver) on the roundabout,” Det Snr Sgt Garrett alleged. “The drivers exchanged words. The offending vehicle’s passenger window was down so the driver saw the white D-Max was driven by a sole male person of Middle Eastern extraction.

Police beside the car which was shot at in the road rage drama on Friday. Picture: 9 News Gold Coast.

“They exchanged heated words. However during that the driver of the D-Max produced what is believed to have been a handgun, pointed it directly at the driver of the other vehicle,” he alleged.

“We believe that firearm was discharged and it struck the victim’s vehicle, putting a bullet hole into the rear door on the driver’s side.

“From that point both vehicles continued eastbound towards Pacific Fair shopping centre along Nerang Broadbeach Rd.

“The victim was on the phone to police. He called Triple 0. It was a bit of cat and mouse up to around Pacific Fair shopping centre where the offending vehicle performed a sudden u-turn, cutting off some traffic at Sunshine Blvd and the victim lost sight of him,” he alleged.

Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Garrett: “If anyone does know the whereabouts of Mr Atasoy we’re asking them not to approach him.” Picture: Keith Woods

Det Snr Sgt Garrett added police believed Atasoy was wearing a court-ordered ankle tracker at the time, but it had since been deactivated.

His vehicle was recovered at Saxonvale Terrace a short time after the alleged shooting but there has been no trace of Atasoy since, the last known sighting a CCTV image from nearby Tartan Court showing him leaving the area on foot.

The weapon police believe was used in the alleged incident has not been recovered, nor the ankle tracker they say has been deactivated.

Det Snr Sgt Garrett said police intelligence indicates Atasoy is a member of the Lone Wolves bikie gang.

Officers were speaking with friends, relatives and associates and he appealed to Atasoy to hand himself in.

“It was a stupid and dangerous (alleged) act and he needs to face the consequences,” he said.

Police want anyone who knows of Atasoy’s whereabouts, has dashcam vision of his alleged driving last Friday or who has found a broken ankle bracelet to contact them immediately on Triple 0 or Crimestoppers.

Saleh Atasoy.

LAST WEEK

Police are hunting for a gunman on the Gold Coast after a shot was allegedly fired at a vehicle in a terrifying road rage incident.

The shot hit a door on a Ford Ranger ute at Bermuda St in Mermaid Waters at 2.40pm after it is believed two drivers got into an argument.

Both left the scene in their vehicles after the incident, with the man whose vehicle was shot at going to police to report what happened, while the gunman remains at large.

“Initial investigations suggest the driver of an Isuzu D-MAX fired a weapon at a Ford Ranger on Bermuda Street around 2.40pm, before the driver fled the scene,” a police spokesman said.

“No one was injured during the incident.

“Investigations are ongoing.

“Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or who has vision, is urged to come forward.”

Follow @keithjwoods