Man killed identified, second injured in Granton
A man who was fatally shot in Granton has been identified as a prisoner who escaped prison custody earlier that night. Now police are calling for a member of the public to come forward. THE LATEST >>
Tasmania
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A PRISON escapee found dead outside a Granton residence on Tuesday morning borrowed a mobile phone to make a call after fleeing from his guards at the Royal Hobart Hospital.
Police say Nicholas Aaron Scott used somebody’s phone outside Salamanca restaurant Jack Greene around 11.40pm on Monday night, just one hour after escaping from prison custody at the hospital, where he was undergoing medical treatment.
Less than two hours later, the 26-year-old was found shot dead outside a home on Black Snake Road, Granton.
Police have put out an urgent plea to the person who allowed Scott to make the call.
“Were you in Salamanca, outside Jack Greene, around 11.40pm last night and allowed a man to use your mobile phone to make a call?” a Tasmania Police statement said.
“Police investigating incidents involving Nicholas Aaron Scott who is now deceased, have information he was in Salamanca and borrowed a phone from someone to make a call.
“If you were the person who allowed Nicholas to make a call, you’re not in any trouble but you may have important information we need. Please phone Hobart CIB on 131 444.”
Police said they were informed by the Tasmanian Prison Service that 26-year-old prisoner, Scott, had escaped guards at the RHH about 10.50pm on Monday, prompting a police manhunt.
“Around 1.30am this morning, police received a report of a firearms discharge at a property on Black Snake Road at Granton,” Tasmania Police said in a statement.
“Police attended the property and located the body of a deceased man outside the residence and another man inside with head injuries.
“The deceased has been identified as the man who had escaped custody a few hours earlier.”
Detective Inspector Troy Morrisby from Glenorchy CIB said “Understandably this incident is concerning to police and the wider community.”
“I reassure the community that this incident was between people known to each other, and there is no threat to the wider community.
“A thorough police investigation is being conducted into all aspects of these two incidents.”
The 20-year-old man with non-life-threatening head injuries was taken to the RHH for treatment and police say they expect to interview him later today.
Fatal shooting shocks residents of ‘quiet area’
Earlier: A GRANTON resident has told of his shock at a fatal shooting incident in his street, early Tuesday morning.
One man has been killed and another rushed to hospital after a shooting in Black Snake Rd, Granton, north of Hobart.
Police arrived at the Black Snake Road property about 1:30am, where they located the body of one man outside the home.
A second man was found inside the property with non-life threatening head injuries and taken to Royal Hobart Hospital.
Granton resident Rod Curtain, who lives near where the shooting took place, said he was shocked to hear what had happened.
“It’s a little bit of a blow to find something happening so close to home in a quiet area,” he said.
Mr Curtain, who has lived in the street for 52 years, said the residents involved in the incident usually “kept to themselves”.
“I think there’s been a bit of trouble for a long time, coming and going all the time,” he said.
“We do have a lot of trouble with motorbikes up and down here to that house, but apart from that we’ve had no problems with them.”
Mr Curtain said the man who was taken to hospital was believed to be about 18 or 19 years old, but he wasn’t familiar with the man who died.
Mr Curtain said he didn’t hear any gun shots and only became aware of the shooting when he was alerted by police.
A separate firearms incident occurred on the same street in August last year, but Mr Curtain said he didn’t believe they were connected.
“There was a shooting…somewhere down the bottom end. I don’t think it was connected in any way with this one.”
He said it was normally a “very safe and quiet” neighbourhood.
Black Snake Road remained quiet throughout Tuesday morning as police scoured the area for evidence.
Forensics remained on scene, with two large tents set up outside the residence where the shooting took place.
Investigators continued to interview residents in neighbouring properties, while police cordoned off a portion off the street and turned away cars hoping to pass through.
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