A 19-year-old woman has died from injuries sustained in a drive-by shooting outside a Brisbane pub, with police investigating potential gang involvement in the attack. Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau, from Jimboomba, was struck in the head and neck when masked gunmen opened fire into a crowd gathered outside Fitzy's Loganholme in the city's south on Saturday night. She passed away at Princess Alexandra Hospital on Thursday morning, five days after the incident.
According to The Guardian, three other men aged 27, 37 and 38 were also hospitalised in the attack. One remains recovering from surgery while the other two have since been released from hospital.
What happened during the shooting?
The attack occurred during an intermission at the Logan City Titles boxing event, which was attended by more than 100 people, including families with young children, according to Perth Now. Police allege the attackers arrived in a silver Mitsubishi ASX, which had earlier been observed at Fitzy's Waterford location. Following the shooting, both the Mitsubishi and a second vehicle—a ute—were discovered burnt out, as reported by News.com.au.
What is the police investigation revealing?
Detectives are treating the incident as a potential gang-related attack and are actively searching for those responsible. Detective Inspector Ian Galpin announced the victim's death to media with visible emotion and expressed his condolences to her family and friends. He confirmed that approximately 80 police officers have been deployed in the murder investigation.
We will not stop until these people are identified and taken into custody,Det Insp Galpin stated. He continued:
I'd ask our community to reflect on the fact that a 19-year-old woman, in the prime of her life, was simply going out for a night out with friends and has had her life taken from her in the most cowardly way.
The detective appealed directly to witnesses and those with knowledge of the incident.
There are people out there who know exactly who was involved in this offence and exactly why this occurred. I'm asking those people to be brave enough to come forward with that information.
Police said they were seeking at least three people, including a masked shooter and a getaway driver, and did not expect follow-up attacks or an ongoing threat to the community, according to AAP News. Before the woman's death, police described the attack as involving elements of pre-planning but said it was not random, with no intelligence indicating a likely reprisal.
How is the family responding?
Det Insp Galpin said the young victim's family was struggling with the tragedy and had requested their privacy be respected.
It's an incredibly difficult time for them, I can't imagine the hurt that they're going through,he said.
Regarding the investigation's direction, Det Insp Galpin noted that police were keeping an open mind about possible gang involvement.
If that leads to the identification of gang members, their associates or other forms of organised crime, then that will certainly expand the scope of our investigation.
What happens next?
Police have appealed for anyone with information about the shooting to contact them as the search for the suspects continues. The investigation remains active as detectives work to identify and apprehend those responsible for the fatal attack.
