The murder of a Perth mother and daughter, shot dead in their own home in what the premier says was “motivated by domestic violence”, could see further reforms to WA’s gun laws.
WARNING: This story contains details that may distress some readers.
On Friday afternoon Mark James Bombara shot 59-year-old Jennifer Petelczyc and her daughter, 18-year-old Gretl, at their Floreat home.
It’s believed the 63-year-old had been searching for his ex-wife, who was a friend of Mrs Petelczyc.
When he couldn’t find her, he shot Mrs Petelczyc and her daughter before turning the gun on himself.
Police were on the street when the final shot was fired.
Shooter owned 13 guns
At a press conference on Monday afternoon, Police Minister Paul Papalia confirmed Bombara owned 11 guns on a recreational licence and two handguns on a collectors’ licence.
It’s understood he had the two handguns with him on Friday.
“There is no reason a person living in Mosman Park should be able to legally own 13 guns,” Premier Roger Cook said, saying it highlighted the need for his government’s firearms reforms.
“It’s hard to fathom. One man, 13 guns, legally owned, right In the suburbs of Perth.”
He had no prior convictions, according to Mr Papalia, and was only known to police because his ex-wife had requested their help when she took her belongings from their shared home on April 1 as a result of “FDV-related matters” which had not been reported to police.
Under both the current firearms laws, and proposed reforms due to be debated in parliament this week, it would not have been enough to take Bombara’s guns off him.
Mr Papalia said he and the police commissioner would now look at whether any further changes could be made to those reforms.
“I think there is, I think we’ll be acting earlier to remove firearms from premises where there’s potential for harm to be done,” he said.
Murders were domestic violence: minister
WA’s Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Sabine Winton, said the murders were an act of domestic violence.
Police said on the weekend the murders did not meet that definition because the victims and the gunman were not related.
But on Monday afternoon, they clarified the motivation was “family and domestic violence related” but the crimes committed were murder — and the contributing factors would be for the coroner to decide.
“Everyone knows, in the community, what this was,” Ms Winton said in Broome on Monday.
“This was an act of violence against women for no other reason than they were supporting a victim trying to flee a relationship.
“Any act of violence against any women is totally unacceptable, it’s abhorrent and it was a gutless act.”
Ms Winton would not say what gun reforms could have helped in this instance, but said reducing the number of guns in the community would “increase the safety of women in our community”.
Murders ramp up gun debate
Parliament is currently considering firearms laws the state government describes as the “toughest in the nation”.
The bill has passed the lower house, but debate has hardly begun in the upper house.
Loading…
The final change was needed, the government said, because under current laws a restraining order can strip someone of their guns, but that was “often” challenged through the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT).
Figures from the government in October last year showed 415 licences were revoked or suspended due to family and domestic violence or violence restraining order matters in the year before.
At the time, seven of those had been reinstated by the SAT, with 10 still pending.
Mr Papalia said while Bombara was not subject to a restraining order, the number of guns he owned would have been reduced under the new laws because there would be no recreational licence and he was unlikely to be eligible for a collectors licence.
Instead, he would have had to meet the criteria for a hunting licence — including having a genuine reason — and been limited to five guns.
Earlier Mr Cook said he wanted to get the reforms through parliament as soon as possible to equip police with modern laws.
He said police received “a whole range of intelligence all the time, in terms of situations which are deteriorating”.
“They should be given the powers that they need to be able to intervene, and make sure that they can arrest the situation and make sure that they can take those guns out of harm’s way.”
The WA Nationals oppose the legislation, while the Liberals “have a number of concerns”.
An ePetition calling on the government to “support law-abiding owners of firearms” and “prioritise its taxpayer funded resources towards those who possess and use unlicensed firearms” attracted 32,234 signatures, breaking a record set by a petition against the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act last year.
Mr Cook also promised that legislation to mandate the use of GPS monitoring for some family and domestic violence offenders would be introduced to parliament next month.
There wasn’t any money for the expansion in the state budget, but Department of Justice acting director general, Kylie Maj, told budget estimates last week that was being worked on.
University offers support
The news came as UWA vice-chancellor Amit Chakma wrote to students on Monday morning to offer the university’s condolences to those close to the murdered pair, and support for those who were struggling after the death.
“It is with a heavy heart that I write to inform you of the death of UWA student Gretl Petelczyc and her mother Jennifer Petelczyc in tragic and violent circumstances on Friday evening,” Professor Chakma wrote.
“Gretl was a dedicated student undertaking a Bachelor of Science and a talented member of the UWA Water Polo Club.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened at the loss of such a young life and acknowledge the grief as our students, staff and community reflect on these horrific circumstances.
“This will be a very difficult time for Gretl’s family, friends and for all of us in the UWA community.”
Loading
Posted , updated