Brisbane woman dies four days after pub shooting
Police have deployed 80 officers to investigate the fatal drive-by attack that occurred during a boxing event, with gang links under review.
By Lauren Mitchell ·
Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau died on Thursday morning at Princess Alexandra Hospital, four days after being struck in the head and neck by gunfire. The 19-year-old from Jimboomba was outside Fitzy’s Loganholme, a pub in Brisbane’s south, when the attack took place on Saturday night.
Three men were also hospitalized following the incident, which occurred while the venue hosted a boxing event. A 27-year-old man is recovering from surgery, while a 37-year-old and a 38-year-old man have been released.
Detective Inspector Ian Galpin addressed the media on Thursday to confirm Schuster-Togiatau’s death. He noted that approximately 80 police officers are assigned to the murder investigation. Galpin described the victim as being in the prime of her life and stated that she was out for a night with friends when the shooting occurred.
The detective asked the local community to consider that the victim was simply enjoying an evening out before her life was taken. He urged witnesses who know the identity of the gunmen and the motive for the attack to come forward. Galpin said the victim’s family has requested privacy and is struggling with the loss.
Police are examining potential connections to organized crime as part of the inquiry. Galpin stated that the investigation remains open to all possibilities. He indicated that if the evidence points to gang members or their associates, the scope of the probe will expand to include those links.
Investigators are actively searching for the masked gunmen responsible for the drive-by. Galpin emphasized that the police effort will continue until the individuals involved are identified and taken into custody. The family has been offered condolences from the investigation team.
The next step in the process involves gathering additional intelligence from the public and analyzing the scene where the crowd was targeted. Police are working to determine the specific role of each suspect in the sequence of events that led to the fatal shooting.
Source: The Guardian
