SOURCE: Newcastle Herald
THE young man fighting for his life after being shot in the head at Jesmond had made a last minute decision to stay at the house where the double shooting occurred, his family says.
Luke Convery, 21, remains in a coma on life support after he was shot on a couch inside the home of a friend’s sister on Sunday morning.
A second man, 30, was also shot in a bedroom of the home and remains in a serious but stable condition in John Hunter Hospital.
Mr Convery’s female friend, 21, her 30-year-old sister as well as a two-year-old girl were also in the house but escaped physical injury.
The alleged gunman is believed to have been a former partner of the older sister and was arrested a short time after the shooting.
Mr Convery’s grandmother, Sue Convery, said her grandson had enjoyed a day out with his friend before they visited his friend’s sister at her Jesmond home.
They decided to stay the night.
‘‘It was a last minute thing, they just popped in to say hi and ended up staying,’’ Mrs Convery said. ‘‘He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’’
Police allege the gunman broke into the Coles Street home armed with a rifle and a knife and shot the men, possibly as they slept.
A 31-year-old man was arrested in Lambton still allegedly carrying the .22 calibre pump-action rifle and a folding knife.
He was taken to Newcastle City Police Station where he was charged with two counts of shoot with intent to murder, two counts of committing a serious indictable offence, special aggravated break and enter and possessing an unregistered firearm.
He was refused bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court on Monday.
Police said Mr Convery was shot once in the head and remained on life support on Sunday afternoon, while the older man received treatment for four gunshot wounds to the head.
EARLIER SUNDAY:
A man is in a critical condition following a double shooting at Jesmond this morning.
Police were called to Coles street following reports of a shooting at 2.20am.
Police found two men aged 21 and 30 had been shot.
They were taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment.
The younger man is in a critical condition and the older man is stable.
Police patrolled the surrounding area and arrested a man on Chilcott Street, Lambton.
He was taken to Newcastle Police Station and is assisting with inquiries.
