ROADSIDE SHOOTER
Police investigate reports of gunman using sign as a target
POLICE are investigating reports of a trigger-happy gunman on Cape York after bullet holes were found in a sign.
Aurukun resident and experienced tracker Aelon Walamby found spent casings near the roadside.
“This happened near our town, it’s craziness ” Mr Walamby said.
POLICE are investigating reports of a trigger-happy gunman near Aurukun.
A remote bullet-riddled government sign 108km from the Weipa turn-off to Aurukun, appears to be punctured by fresh .40 calibre rounds in addition to older bullet holes.
An anonymous Cape York source familiar with Queensland Police Service firearms and ammunition said the dumped casings bore a strong resemblance to Winchester .40 calibre ammunition used by QPS issued Glock 22 firearms.
Aurukun resident, bushman and experienced tracker Aelon Walamby found numerous spent casings near the sign while searching for bush radishes.
“This happened near our town, it’s craziness,” Mr Walamby said.
It is understood Mr Walamby informed Aurukun mayor Dereck Walpo of the incident, who has approached police.
Since the reported find, fresh 4WD tracks have appeared near the sign, with evidence of a last-minute clean up of any remaining casings.
In 2017 it was revealed that up to 100 illegally imported Glock pistols were imported from overseas through a Sydney post office and remain unaccounted for.
Police said there were at the time about 110 pistols circulating in Australia’s underworld.
In addition to the QPS, the Glock 22 is often used by armed security companies.
“No security carries firearms around Aurukun – we don’t want to go shooting our mouth off about it until we have some evidence,” Mr Walpo said.
A spokeswoman for the Glencore mining company, which runs two bauxite sites near Aurukun, said staff at the Tcharawopin and Coconut projects were not armed.
“Our Aurukun Bauxite Project does not employ security – armed or unarmed – in any capacity and we don’t have anything to do with the incident,” the spokeswoman said.
A QPS spokesman said officers adhered to strict reporting of service firearms use.
“.40 calibre ammunition isn’t uncommon and could certainly be used for a variety of purposes in a wide variety of firearms,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman said Glock pistols could be purchased for rural, sporting, security and animal control.