Qld: Street riot west of Brisbane "concerning": Minister

AAP General News (Australia)
04-07-2010
Qld: Street riot west of Brisbane "concerning": Minister

By David Barbeler

BRISBANE, April 7 AAP - Police have charged more than 20 people over a street riot
west of Brisbane last month in which three men suffered gunshot wounds.

Violence erupted about 3am (AEST) on March 14 in Highbury Drive, Redbank Plains, with
a 22-year-old man suffering a gunshot wound to his buttocks, while a 21-year-old was shot
in the leg and a bullet grazed the shoulder of a 19-year-old.

Police on Tuesday charged 21 people with rioting and all of them are due to appear
in Ipswich Magistrates Court on May 5.

On Wednesday, Queensland Police Minister Neil Roberts said the incident highlighted
deep concerns over the behaviour of street gangs.

"Any altercation involving violence of this nature is obviously a concern to the community,"

he said.

"The people are involved in car clubs allegedly, but the matter is before the courts
so we are very limited in what we can say."

Mr Roberts praised the work of police involved in the investigation into the riot,
codenamed Operation Ice Iguana.

"Police have done a fantastic job here. They've got over 20 people equally split between
these two groups before the courts, that's great police work," he said.

Mr Roberts also commended the hard work of the recently-established Street Gang Project
team, a 12-month trial announced in January to curb gang-related violence.

"This is all about trying to nip in the bud some of the activities of these groups
before they become a real problem in a criminal sense," he said.

"You have to get the intelligence and understand what's happening in these groups to
make sure they don't develop into that next stage."

A police media spokeswoman said although some offenders left quickly after the Redbank
Plains incident, police managed to interview a large number of people.

She said Operation Ice Iguana then conducted an "intense" three-week investigation
using those statements, which allowed them to identify 21 people allegedly involved.

Investigations are continuing.

AAP djb/it/apm

KEYWORD: RIOT

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.