Thomas Alexander Quirk-Buckley, 26, is the third person to be arrested over the North Lyneham shooting in March. Photo: Albert McKnight.
Another person has been accused of helping the shooter who allegedly opened fire on a man with a single-barrelled shotgun in North Lyneham earlier this year.
Paramedics were called to treat a man in Florey on 21 March after he received minor wounds from shotgun pellets, an ACT Policing spokesperson previously said.
After speaking to the alleged victim, police went to North Lyneham and arrested a 24-year-old man.
It is believed the shooting took place at a home in the area.
The 24-year-old was charged with discharging a firearm – endanger life and assault, then was remanded in custody. In June, police also arrested a 25-year-old woman and accused her of helping him.
Then on Sunday night (29 June), police on patrol in Belconnen allegedly saw a car being driven erratically at high speed.
Police activated their emergency lights and sirens and tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver allegedly failed to stop. The officers chased the car until it stopped in Weston Creek.
“The driver and passenger attempted to flee the scene but were apprehended by police after a short foot chase,” a police spokesperson alleged.
The alleged driver, 26-year-old Thomas Alexander Quirk-Buckley from Collector in NSW, was handed driving-related charges over the incident.
He was then also accused of helping the alleged 24-year-old shooter.
Quirk-Buckley was formally charged with aiding and abetting a robbery and being knowingly concerned in the discharge of a firearm at another person when he faced the ACT Magistrates Court on Monday (30 June).
He was seen sitting in the court’s dock with a bandaged hand and his lawyer, when applying for him to be granted bail, claimed he suffered from significant health issues after being physically attacked.
The lawyer said he worked in a concreting business with his father and claimed the business would suffer if he was remanded in custody, as his father also had health issues.
When it came to the shooting, the lawyer said even taking the police allegations at their highest, her client was not alleged to be present inside the home when the shotgun was fired or involved in the decision to fire it.
However, Magistrate James Lawton said Quirk-Buckley had already been on bail for unrelated matters at the time of the shooting.
Bail was refused and he was remanded in custody to 28 July. No pleas were entered.
The 24-year-old man is scheduled to face the court again on 10 July and the woman will face court on 14 July.
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