Shotgun blast in family dispute

THE romantic split that led to a daylight shooting in suburban Hobart could have had “catastrophic” consequences for innocent bystanders, police say.

Two Hobart families clashed in Glenorchy yesterday when a man leaned out of a moving car and fired a sawnoff shotgun at another vehicle on Windsor St, which is near a school zone.

The two cars continued to a nearby Hungry Jacks carpark where a number of vehicles belonging to the public were damaged in the pursuit.

Police say the feud revolves around a relationship that has gone sour.

“Initial indications are that the female has discontinued a relationship with one member of the family and commenced with a male person from another family,” Acting Insp David Gill, from Glenorchy CIB, said.

Police have slammed the incident as “sheer lunacy”.

“The recklessness of the actions by both parties today cannot be underestimated and Tasmania Police are just thankful that innocent members of the public were not harmed or injured,” he said.

“It could have been catastrophic. Had pedestrians been walking down the road at that time, injuries could have been quite severe.”

The shotgun remains outstanding and no arrests have been made.

Senior members of both families, who are well known to police, have been spoken to by detectives who are confident the matter will “settle down”.

“We are quite confident we know exactly who has been involved today,” Det Gill said.

“I am aware that all parties involved believe that they know exactly how stupid and reckless they’ve been.”

Police are also attempting to speak to the woman at the centre of the shooting, who was believed to be in the car that was fired at.

Nobody in the car which was shot at has come forward to make a complaint. None of the occupants are believed to have been injured.

A green Hyundai Sonata, which was carrying the gunman, was found abandoned in Bridgewater yesterday afternoon. It was not a stolen car.

Detectives have interviewed a number of witnesses over the shooting.