The family of Floreat gunman Mark Bombara say they repeatedly raised concerns about him to police in the lead up to Friday’s horrific shooting — but nothing was done.
The family’s claims raise serious and very real questions as to whether the shocking murders of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc – who were murdered in their own home by Bombara on Friday – could have been prevented.
Jennifer and Gretl were shot dead by Bombara after he turned up at their Berkley Crescent residence on Friday afternoon looking for his ex-wife.
He then turned the gun on himself.
In a lengthy statement released to the media on Tuesday, Ariel Bombara said she and her mother were forced to flee their home on March 28 because they were in fear for their lives.
“I’d like to start by saying how truly, deeply sorry I am to Liesl Petelczyc for the losses of her beautiful mother, Jenny, and sister, Gretl; losses she has suffered at the hands of my father’s violence,” Ms Bombara said in her statement.
“My mother and I fled our family home on March 28 in fear of our lives and to remove ourselves from an abusive situation.
“Between March 30th and April 2nd, I spoke with police on three separate occasions to raise the alarm about my father. On each occasion I alerted officers to my father’s guns, and told them my mother and I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives.
“I specifically mentioned that there was a Glock handgun which was unaccounted for.
“My understanding is this ultimately would be one of the weapons my father used take the lives of two innocent women.”
Ms Bombara said she asked police if it was possible to take out a 72-hour temporary protective order against her father.
“We were told no, and that there was nothing police could do about the situation at that time,” she said.
“On April 2nd, my mother and I were given a police escort to our home to collect some belongings. This was the third occasion we warned police about my father’s guns.
“One officer said, ‘Oh don’t worry, we know all about the guns’, and when he called for back-up, he warned his fellow officers to wear bullet proof vests.
“We were ignored by five different male officers across three occasions of reporting.”
Ms Bombara said she supported the gun law reform measures that were currently being debated in WA.
“The gun reforms being discussed currently are an important step, but it is my unwavering belief that even without his guns, my father would have committed a horrific act of violence which likely would have claimed lives,” she said.
“I want answers.”
More to come.
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