A man who was shot in the chest at Wardell early Tuesday morning is being described by police as “lucky” to have survived –  but his refusal to cooperate with investigators is hampering the hunt for whoever pulled the trigger.

Emergency services were called to a property on Pimlico Road just after 4:20am. Richmond Police District crime manager, Detective Inspector Grant Erickson, said the man, aged in his 20s, was found with a gunshot wound to the right side of his chest.

“He was treated by police and paramedics at the scene before being taken to Lismore Base Hospital, where he underwent surgery to remove shrapnel,” Inspector Erickson said.

“He’s in a stable condition. He hasn’t got life-threatening injuries. He’s awake, he’s talking –  he’s been pretty lucky.”

Targeted attack but victim not talking

Police believe the shooting was targeted and confirmed the victim is known to them. But Inspector Erickson said the man was refusing to assist detectives.

“At this stage, the victim is not cooperating with police,” he said.

“That frustrates the investigation. We have a number of questions, as does the community, and we’ll continue to pursue every line of inquiry.”

The man’s girlfriend was present at the property at the time; police say she is not a suspect and it was not the couple’s home.

Detectives and forensic officers established a crime scene at the rural property, spending much of the day scouring the area with metal detectors in search of evidence, including the firearm which has not yet been recovered.

Residents raise concerns

Local residents have previously raised concerns about activity linked to the property, but police stopped short of commenting on claims the property had been frequented by “vagrants” or was used as a drop-in spot.

Inspector Erickson said while the shooting was “highly unusual” for Wardell, the wider community was not believed to be at risk.

“We believe this was a targeted attack. 

“We have no concerns for the safety of other residents,” he said.

Appeal for information

Police are urging anyone with information to contact Ballina Police or Crime Stoppers.

“This is a serious matter — someone has fired a gun in our community,” Inspector Erickson said.
“Any information could help us piece together what happened.”