Police continue with probe into Bassendean car crash as a witness describes ‘shock’ after seeing a gunman

Police are on the hunt for two men involved in a crash in Bassendean on Tuesday, after witnesses described seeing one of them brandishing a firearm in a post-collision altercation. About 1.45pm a member of the public reported a loud bang as a green Holden Commodore and a blue Holden utility collided in the area of Old Perth Road. Detective First Class Constable Kat Walker-McLean said witnesses then saw one of the men holding a gun. “It was reported to police that the occupants of the two vehicles after the crash were involved in an altercation,” she said. “A firearm was brandished during that altercation (and) a shot was heard.” After Forensics investigated the scene spending hours examining the verge along Old Perth Road with metal detectors, it was determined there was no evidence to suggest a firearm had been discharged. “At this time we are speculating that the firearm was a blank firing replica,” Const. Walker-McLean said. A woman described the terrifying moment she saw a man holding the gun, saying she heard a gun shot followed by yelling. “I heard two cars collide and more shouting,” she said. “I could see a guy with a gun —he was just holding it with one hand and aiming it at the ground. “I sort of thought what do I do, do I call the police – it didn’t seem real ...I didn’t want them to know that I had seen them.” The woman said she was in “shock” after seeing the incident unfold. “I sort of stood back a little bit and didn’t make any noise,” she said. It comes as police hunt for a car that was stolen only a short time before the crash and subsequent altercation — and incident which Midland detectives believe to be unrelated. The late model Holden Monaro was taken just before 1pm after the thieves smashed their way into the property through a back door and broke into a safe to get the keys. Todd Coates, a friend of the Monaro’s owner, said the car was his “pride and joy” and was a distinctive black colour with candy apple red racing stripes on the bonnet. “Someone has broken the back door, torn the place up and stolen the car,” he said. “I don’t know how they got into the safe they must have had some tools or something. “He’s devastated, everything in the house can be fixed but the car can’t be. “It’s a very distinctive car, they don’t make them no more, hopefully we can get it back. It’s just a random attack maybe they have targeted the car but we just don’t know.” Anyone with dash cam or CCTV footage is asked to upload it to https://wapf.au.evidence.com/axon/citizen/public/rtc-bassendean-27-october-2020. Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at crimestopperswa.com.au.