Kavinda Herath/Stuff
01022022. News. Kavinda Herath /The Southland Times /Stuff-Police on Elizabeth St in Invercargill on Friday
Patricia Bryan was sitting on her bed in the early morning hours of Friday when four loud gunshots pierced the air.
She froze, saying the gun blasts on the Invercargill street were far too close for comfort.
“I couldn’t move, I was scared,” she said.
“I didn’t turn the light on in case someone saw me.”
The shooter was targeting another house on the same street, just metres from Bryan’s home.
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Detective senior sergeant Greg Baird said police were notified of the possible drive-by shooting just after 1am, at an Elizabeth St house near the intersection of Elles Road, in the suburb of Strathern.
No one was injured, but damage was caused to the house.
A vehicle was heard leaving the area immediately afterwards, Baird said.
Bryan said she was disgusted by the incident, which followed a series of violent attacks in the city in recent months.
“Invercargill’s not as safe as it used to be.”
The owner of the house which was shot at declined to comment when rung on Friday.
Bryan’s daughter Kelly Garrick, who lives in a house adjacent to her mother, said drive-by shootings in Invercargill had to stop.
“There’s just too much of it happening down here now, far too much. It’s just terrifying to know it can happen so close to home.”
Another neighbouring resident said: “No one wants their kids getting shot accidentally by stray bullets.”
A portion of Elizabeth St where the shooting occurred was cordoned of by police on Friday afternoon, with an armed officer not letting traffic through.
Other officers were examining the outside of the house, with a focus on marks presumably caused by the gun’s bullets.
Anyone with information or concernsis asked to contact police on 105, and information could also be provided anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
