Forensic officers investigating the shooting death of Natalie Frahm continued to work at the scene over the weekend as residents mourned the loss of the mother-of-two and their feeling of relative safety in the tight-knit community.
Ms Frahm, 34, was sitting in her car on the driveway of her Robb Place home when she was shot dead on Wednesday afternoon. Police have charged Ryan Cole, 31, with her murder.
Two children were in the back seat, with police alleging the gun originally misfired before the gunman reloaded the weapon and fired at the victim.
The children ran to a neighbouring home where Jimmy McGill, 66, tried to offer help but was also shot and hospitalised.
Police are continuing their search for the “revolver-style weapon” they believed was involved in the shooting.
Draft firearm legislation
Meanwhile, questions are being raised over draft legislation that was introduced to parliament in May.
On Friday, Police Minister Mark Ryan said the new laws — requested by authorities — would empower officers to conduct warrantless searches for certain individuals.
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The minister said the tabled legislation was set to be debated in the next month, following delays and opposition from some MPs.
Shooters Union Australia president Graham Park said more than 80 community groups across Queensland — including Queensland Council for Civil Liberties and Queensland Law Society — had filed submissions citing “a range of concerns about the so-called Community Safety Bill”.
Mr Park said he’s worried about giving police additional powers that would usually be reserved for magistrates.
“You could be instructed to take down [firearm-related] Facebook posts of perfectly legal activities that you took on holidays … and that has been confirmed by QPS, that they could do that — they say they won’t but they could,” he said.
“This is not particularly a guns issue, we see it as community control.”
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The union president believes “most firearm owners in [Queensland] feel like they are over-regulated already”, with eligibility criteria differing state-to-state.
Mr Park said he doesn’t think any law would’ve helped prevent the Mackay shooting because, according to police, the alleged offender did not have a firearms licence.
He said Mr Ryan’s suggestion the new laws would make any difference was “very disingenuous”, noting that checks on people who police believe to be suspicious was similar to existing legislation.
“Queensland police already have the ability to go in … if they think a crime’s being committed,” Mr Park said.
Locals shocked by violence
Local residents — some of whom were locked down on Wednesday evening after an emergency declaration by police shut down parts of South Mackay — are reeling as they try to comprehend the loss.
Sharyn Patch has lived in Mackay for more than 30 years and has never seen anything like it.
“[Locals are] sad, frightened [and] afraid because this is supposed to be a really safe town,” she said.
“To have something like this happen is terrible.”
Fellow local, Phil Andrew, feared crime was escalating as the small community grows.
“[Everyone’s] probably shocked but I think the town’s going that way, it’s like a city now,” he said.
“We just need to do more, as a community, and stick together.”
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