A 19-year-old woman shot during a drive-by shooting at a Loganholme pub on Saturday night has died in hospital, and Detective Inspector Ian Galpin said the matter was now a homicide investigation.
Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau, from Jimboomba, was attending a boxing event at the Loganholme pub Fitzy’s when she was shot shortly after 8pm. She suffered gunshot wounds to her head and neck and was taken to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital, where she remained with her family. On Thursday, police told media Schuster-Togiatau had died that morning.
“We have not stopped and we will not stop until these people are identified and taken into custody,” Detective Inspector Ian Galpin said. He appealed for anyone with information to come forward: “There are people out there who know exactly who was involved in this offence, and exactly why this occurred, and I’m asking those people to be brave enough to come forward with that information and contact police.”
Three men, aged 38, 37 and 27, were also shot outside Fitzy’s and suffered abdominal wounds requiring surgery. Police said they were being treated as victims, and did not say whether they were previously known to police or to each other. Two had been released from hospital by Thursday, and a third was recovering from surgery.
Galpin said Schuster-Togiatau’s family was “not doing well” and was being supported by police. A fundraiser organised by the family had raised almost $55,000 by Thursday afternoon.
More than 80 officers were working the case on Thursday, including homicide detectives and specialist units including the police’s organised crime gangs group. “We are keeping a very open mind to the involvement of gangs,” Galpin said. “That said, our priority at the moment is to identify the persons involved and the reasons for this offence occurring.” He said police had not ruled out whether any suspects linked to the shooting might have fled overseas.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The death turns a public shooting outside a suburban pub into a homicide investigation, intensifying pressure on police to find those responsible.
- Police have not ruled out gang involvement, and more than 80 officers including the organised crime gangs group are working the case.
- Police are appealing for witnesses, saying people in the community know who was involved and why it happened.
Background
The shooting occurred on Saturday night at Fitzy’s in Loganholme, south of Brisbane, during a boxing event. Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau was shot shortly after 8pm, and three men were also wounded. Police have not identified a motive and no arrests had been reported as of Thursday.
What to Watch
- Whether police identify and arrest the shooter and any accomplices, including the possibility that suspects fled overseas.
- Whether the three injured men, who are being treated as victims, are linked to the incident.
- Whether the investigation establishes a gang connection, which police said they are keeping an open mind on.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe headline says a teenage woman died after a drive-by shooting in Loganholme.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “A 19-year-old woman shot in the head during a drive-by shooting south of Brisbane on the weekend has succumbed to her injuries.”
- SupportedThe summary says police say the shooting is now a homicide investigation.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Detective Inspector Ian Galpin said the matter was now a homicide investigation.”
- SupportedA 19-year-old woman shot in a drive-by at a Loganholme pub on Saturday night died in hospital.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau, from Jimboomba, was attending a boxing event at Loganholme pub Fitzy’s on Saturday night, when she was shot shortly after 8pm.”
- SupportedGalpin said, “We have not stopped and we will not stop until these people are identified and taken into custody.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““We have not stopped and we will not stop until these people are identified and taken into custody,” he said.”
- SupportedGalpin appealed for information, quoting: “There are people out there who know exactly who was involved in this offence, and exactly why this occurred, and I’m asking those people to be brave enough to come forward with that information and contact police.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““There are people out there who know exactly who was involved in this offence, and exactly why this occurred, and I’m asking those people to be brave enough to come forward with that information and contact police.””
- SupportedSchuster-Togiatau suffered gunshot wounds to her head and neck and was taken to Princess Alexandra Hospital.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The 19-year-old suffered gunshot wounds to her head and neck, and was taken to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital”
- SupportedThree men aged 38, 37 and 27 were also shot outside Fitzy’s and required surgery for abdominal wounds.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Three men – aged 38, 37, and 27 – were also shot outside Fitzy’s, and suffered abdomen wounds that required surgery.”
- SupportedPolice said the three men were being treated as victims and did not say whether they were previously known to police or each other.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Queensland Police did not say whether the other three injured men were previously known to police or to each other, but said they were being treated as victims.”
- SupportedGalpin said Schuster-Togiatau’s family was “not doing well” and was being supported by police.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Galpin said Schuster-Togiata’s family was “not doing well”, and was being supported by police.”
- SupportedThe family fundraiser had raised almost $55,000 by Thursday afternoon.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “A fundraiser organised by the 19-year-old’s family had raised almost $55,000 on Thursday afternoon.”
- Partly supportedMore than 80 officers were working the case on Thursday, including homicide detectives and specialist units such as the organised crime gangs group.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “More than 80 officers were working the case on Thursday, including homicide detectives and specialist units including the police’s organised crime gangs group, Galpin said.”
- SupportedGalpin said, “We are keeping a very open mind to the involvement of gangs.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““We are keeping a very open mind to the involvement of gangs,” he said.”