Tragic new details emerge about Gold Coast woman's shooting death
Detectives say a Gold Coast woman who was fatally shot in the chest may have been killed accidentally.
Detective Inspector Brendan Smith said police “haven’t discounted” the possibility Ivona Jovanovic’s death at a Highland Park home on Sunday night was accidental.
Emergency services were called to a home on Renfrew Drive about 8.30pm to reports the 27-year-old woman had been shot.
She was rushed to the Gold Coast University Hospital but died a short time later.
The weapon, which police say is understood to be unregistered, has not been recovered.
“It’s clear you can’t have a gun unless you’ve got a licence, particularly a handgun. This is why we have laws to protect innocent members of the community,” Det Insp Smith told reporters.
“To possess a handgun you’ve got to have the appropriate training and this is a clear example where things go wrong if you haven’t got those sorts of training.”
Det Insp Smith said the property was the residence of Ms Jovanovic’s former partner, who has links to bikie gangs alongside others who were present.
Det Insp Smith confirmed the man had been taken in for questioning over the death but no charges had been laid.
The man remains in custody on Tuesday, Queensland Police confirmed to Yahoo News Australia.
He said however police “certainly don’t believe” the shooting was bikie-related.
The Courier Mail has identified the man as Christos Panagakos, an alleged associate of the Barbaro underworld family and the Mongols bikie gang.
He allegedly fled the property along with four other people after Ms Jovanovic was shot and returned to the property about 1am on Monday where he was arrested.
There is no suggestion Mr Panagakos is involved with Ms Jovanovic’s death.
Det Insp Smith said he had been "very friendly" with his ex-girlfriend and in no dispute with her before she was shot.
Police are calling for those who vacated the home to come forward and “give their versions” of events.
Det Insp Smith said it was “disgraceful” they had fled the scene.
“There’s a lot of first aid that could have been rendered at the time that may or may not have made a difference,” he said.
“We will never know.”
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