DRIVE-BY SHOOTER LEARNS HIS FATE
A MAN involved in a targeted drive-by shooting in a suburban Townsville street told police he bought a rifle for protection.
Shane Robert Alexander, r 31, was on parole at the time he sprayed bullets from his s car in a Kirwan street and at the Vale Hotel at Aitken- vale.
The Townsville Magistrates Court heard that on August 10 last year at 7.30pm Alexander fired a shot in
Gould St, Kirwan, after being shot at by someone in a Mercedes-benz.
At the time of the shooting, Alexander’s ex-partner and three children, all under the age of three, were also in the Silver Landcruiser he was driving.
Police found a .222 caliber round along with multiple .45 caliber casings in the street.
The shots fired hit a home while a pregnant woman and her partner were inside the property.
Then three weeks later, in the early hours of September 1 last year, Alexander was waiting at the Vale Hotel to confront two men about an incident involving his brother’s vehicle.
When the two men did not come out of the hotel, Alexander shot at a car in the carpark he believed the men owned.
The court heard Alexander then attended a Cranbrook address looking for the same two men.
There he saw the men in a Kia Sorento and fired a shot at the vehicle, hitting the petrol ta tank cap.
Police prosecutor Mark Felon told th the court Alexander confessed to police the shooting at the Vale , Hotel was“payback”. Mr Felon said Alexander told police he bought a Smith and Wesson model 1500 twoch chamber 222 Remington rifle for protection.
Alexander pleaded guilty to seven charges including dangerous conduct with weapon and authority required to possess explosives.
Defence solicitor Amanda Zugno said Alexander had struggled with drugs in the past but his time in custody had made him realise they were “irresponsible”, “stupid” and “have a negative impact on his life”.
Magistrate Ross Mack said the offending was “frightening”.
“It is so terrifyingly dangerous for someone like me and all the other people in the neighbourhood,” he said. “Shots cannot be fired around Townsville streets. It is not tolerated and the community expects significant penalties to be imposed for people who engage in that behaviour.”
Mr Mack declared the 38 days spent in pre-sentence custody and sentenced Alexander to three years’ jail.
A parole eligibility date was set at April 21, 2021.
Convictions were recorded.