South Australian police need more resources to deal with a growing number of shootings, the state opposition says.
“In the past five months we’ve had 11 shootings in South Australia. It is just a disgrace,” opposition police spokesman Duncan McFetridge said.
“The police need to have the resources to be out there tackling gun crime, and South Australians need to feel safe in their homes.”
In the latest incident a shot blasted through two walls of a house in Adelaide on Thursday, possibly caused by someone trying to hide the weapon from police.
Police had gone to the suburban Ashford property in relation to another matter and were speaking to a 22-year-old associate of the Finks bikie gang in the front garden when they heard the gun go off.
They later found the gun in an ensuite bathroom where a bullet had been fired, passing through two walls and into a passage.
Detective Inspector Mark Trenwith said it appeared the gun was accidentally discharged, possibly as someone tried to dismantle it.
He said it was also possible someone ran into the backyard of the home after the shot was fired.
“This is a further illustration of how bikie gangs are involved in criminal activity and have a total disregard for the law,” Insp Trenwith said.
The officers searched the home and found cannabis, amphetamines, as well as another gun and ammunition.
The 22-year-old man was arrested and charged with drug trafficking and firearms offences.
Mr McFetridge said over the past 10 years more than 11,000 guns had gone missing in South Australia.
“Some of these are most certainly in the hands of criminals. Some of them are probably being used in the crimes that have been reported recently.”
Related posts:
Views: 0