Charges laid against man found in pond after park shooting death

A 22-year-old man has been charged with weapons offences as police continue to investigate the fatal shooting of another man in a park south of Brisbane on Tuesday night.

The 35-year-old victim, a man from Bahrs Scrub, was shot in the chest at Hugh Muntz Park in Beenleigh about 10.40pm and declared dead soon after, police said.

Officers then tracked a stolen Kia Stonic from the scene of the shooting as it travelled south to the Gold Coast. They rolled out a tyre deflation device to stop the car near Hope Island.

They allege a 22-year-old fled the car on foot into bushland, and was found hiding in a large pond after discarding a gun nearby.

On Thursday morning, he was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm, possessing ammunition and receiving tainted property.

Police said they believed the two men were at the park together, and had arrived separately.

That area was declared a crime scene, and the area near the abandoned vehicle was cordoned off by police as well.

“We’re trying to establish whether they were known to each other,” Acting Superintendent Paul Fletcher said on Wednesday.

“We’ve established that none of the people involved actually reside at that park area.”

The car was believed to have been stolen days ago from Oberon Way at Oxenford, also on the Gold Coast.

Anyone who was in the area between 10pm and 11pm is urged to contact police.

The 22-year-old man will appear in Beenleigh Magistrates Court on Thursday. Police were continuing to investigate the man’s death.

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