Charges laid after gun allegedly fired from moving car

A man and a woman will face court today following a tip-off from a concerned member of the public regarding a video circulating online showing a man allegedly firing a gun out of a car window in the Lower Hunter region.

Police allege the video was filmed sometime during the past 24 hours on a street in Toronto, around 28km from Newcastle.

Officers were later covertly surveilling a white Mazda CX5 on Burley Street, Tenambit, when a man fired a gun into the air from the parked car at around 9.35pm, police said.

The car was then tracked via PolAir to a home on Coal Point Road in Coal Point.

A man, aged 26, was arrested after he walked out of the home at around 5.15am.

The man has since been charged with 11 offences, including discharging a weapon in a public place, possessing an unauthorised gun, driving without a license, speeding and take and drive conveyence without consent of the owner.

He was refused bail to appear before Toronton Local Court today.

A 22-year-old woman, who was inside the home with the man was arrested, was charged with conceal serious indictable offence and goods in personal custody suspected of being stolen.

She was also refused bail and will face court today.

Crime Manager for the Port Stephens and Hunter Police District Detective Ranald Urquhart told media the alleged actions in the video were “incredibly dangerous”.

“It is an incredibly dangerous offence and will be treated very seriously,” Urquhart said.

“It most definitely is not a giggle. It’s a very, very serious offence.

“Social media can be a bit of a double edged sword, it can be used for some persons for notoriety but it can also… assist police when it comes to offences and identifying offenders.”

Urquhart said a shortened shotgun had been recovered following the man’s arrest, along with ammunition and a replica pistol.

Urquhart said police were canvassing for witnesses and CCTV of the incident.

There have been no reports of injury or property damage.