A gunman who wreaked havoc in Western Australia had a gun license, despite his applications to join the police and military being knocked back.
Lachlan Bowles, 25, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound after officers swarmed the small town of Kellerberrin over reports that a camouflaged man had shot and killed local father Terry Czernowski at a grain silo about 8.40am (10.40am AEST) yesterday.
9News understands Bowles, an ambulance volunteer, had not been able to join either of the armed forces on psychological grounds.
His 40-year-old victim was an active member of the Defence Force.
It’s understood Bowles used a handgun to fire five shots at Czernowski.
Rob Linto was then also shot at by Bowles on Mission Road as news of an active shooter had spread.
Bowles fired a shot that missed Linto by 50 centimetres, piercing his vehicle and exiting through the front windshield.
“I come across a guy walking on the road and next minute I see him stop and he just pointed a gun at me,” Linto said.
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“He looked totally relaxed, not stressed at all and I just drove past and that’s when he let it go at me.”
Linto’s escape led police straight to the shooter on farmland where he was dressed in camouflage with a swastika wrapped around his arm and waving a Nazi flag.
“He’s thinking he was going to take me out so I can’t ring it in,” Linto said.
A friend told 9News Czernowski was someone who stood up to bullies.
He was described as hardworking, generous and always doing things for other people.
Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.
