A 22-year-old woman has died and a man has been shot during a series of alleged carjackings on the Sunshine Coast.
Police were called to a crash on the Bruce Highway near Aussie World just after midday on Monday. Preliminary investigations suggest a red Porsche was involved in a collision that triggered a multi-vehicle crash.
The alleged driver, a 41-year-old Tewantin man and the registered owner of the Porsche, is accused of exiting the vehicle and shooting another motorist in the arm before stealing that person’s car and fleeing the scene. The two men reportedly did not know each other.
The stolen vehicle was later found crashed in Landsborough at about 12:35pm. Police allege the man then carjacked another vehicle at gunpoint — this time driven by a learner driver, who was in the car with their parents.
The man was arrested shortly afterwards on Steve Irwin Way and taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in serious condition under police guard. A firearm was allegedly recovered from the car he was in.
Chief Inspector Jason Overland confirmed the man would face several serious charges, though it remains unclear if police had prior dealings with him.
“It’s a tragic way for any holiday to end — especially for that family,” Chief Inspector Overland said.
Family Caught in Carjacking
The family involved in the second carjacking was unharmed and is currently assisting police at Caloundra Police Station. Chief Inspector Overland noted the terrifying nature of the ordeal, especially as a firearm was allegedly presented.
“Even if no one was physically hurt, being threatened at gunpoint would undoubtedly have a lasting impact,” he said.
Authorities have established three crime scenes — two in Palmview and one in Landsborough — as part of the investigation.
“There’s a significant amount of evidence to process, including forensic crash analysis, witness statements, and dashcam footage,” Chief Inspector Overland added.
Tragically, a 22-year-old woman from Mount Gravatt, a passenger in one of the vehicles involved in the initial crash, died in hospital. A man travelling with her sustained serious injuries.
The man who was shot remains in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Bruce Highway has since reopened, and police are urging anyone with dashcam footage from the area to contact them.
