Two charged after video of man allegedly shooting from car shared on social media
In short:
A man and a woman have been charged after a video of a man allegedly shooting a firearm out a car window appeared on social media.
Police began investigating the incident late yesterday, and arrested the pair in the NSW Hunter region early today.
What's next?
The man will undergo a mental health assessment to see if and when he can front court again.
Police have charged a man and woman after a video of a man allegedly shooting a firearm out a car window in the New South Wales Hunter region circulated on social media.
Police said they were told about the video late on Sunday evening.
It showed a man driving a vehicle along The Boulevard in Toronto in daylight and appearing to fire a gun out the window.
Police said the incident was believed to have occurred in the past 24 hours.
They said officers were conducting surveillance of a car in Burley Street in Tenambit, east of Maitland, about 2:35am on Monday when a man allegedly fired a single gunshot into the air from the parked vehicle.
With the assistance of PolAir, the vehicle was allegedly followed to a home at Coal Point near Lake Macquarie.
Police, including officers from the Tactical Operations Unit, established a perimeter around the address.
Police said at 5:15am the man, 26, walked out of the home and was arrested without incident.
Police later entered the home and arrested a 22-year-old woman in connection with the matter.
Charges laid
Police spent this morning interviewing the man and woman and charged them around midday.
The man faces 11 offences.
They include three counts of firing a firearm in or near a public place, as well as possessing an unauthorised prohibited firearm and an unauthorised pistol.
Police allege the man also stole a car and possessed ammunition without holding a permit or authority.
He also faces one count of using a prohibited weapon contrary to prohibition order and acquiring ammunition subject to prohibition order.
Aside from the weapons, he is accused of driving a motor vehicle while disqualified and driving recklessly and furiously.
The woman is charged with concealing a serious indictable offence and having goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen, namely a motor vehicle.
The man fronted Toronto Local Court today.
Magistrate Peter Barnett ordered that he be detained in a mental health facility for assessment.
Role of social media
Port Stephens-Hunter Detective Inspector Ranald Urquhart said the alleged offences are serious.
"We're looking at a number of serious charges in relation to that firearm being fired," he said.
"We are conducting an investigation, canvassing for CCTV and further witnesses that may have seen or heard anything."
Detective Inspector Ranald Urquhart.
Detective Inspector Urquhart said the alleged incident was "incredibly dangerous" behaviour.
"Social media can be a bit of a double-edged sword," he said.
"It can be used by some persons for notoriety but it's also something that can assist police when identifying offenders."
The woman did not apply for bail, and it was formally refused.