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As it happened: 7News cameraman survives terrifying carjacking

Yahoo7 and Agencies
Updated

A 7News cameraman has survived a terrifying ordeal after he was held at gunpoint and carjacked by an armed man.

The man has been charged with a string of offences, after pointing what's thought to be a replica gun at cameraman Peter Steer who was reporting on a siege on the Sunshine Coast.

The man had hailed down Peter, after allegedly injuring a woman at a house at Noosa Heads.

The siege came to a dramatic end after a man fled in the stolen 7News car and crashed into 7,000 litre LPG gas tank a service station at Eumundi, causing a gas leak.


Gunman siege: What went down

* Incident at Noosa Heads home at 4.40am where a woman was allegedly attacked
* Man allegedly fled the home on motorcycle before police arrived
* Pulled over 7news cameraman Peter Steer on the side of the road
* Man spoke to Peter Steer on camera, before producing a firearm and driving away in the 7News car
* 6am man allegedly crashed stolen car into fuel tank on Eumundi Noosa Rd at Doonan
* 45-year-old charged with a number of offences this afternoon
* He’ll appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court tomorrow

The man in his forties has now been charged with one count each of attempted murder, armed robbery, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, unlawful possession of a weapon and two counts of willful damage.

Cameraman Peter Steer was responding to an armed siege when a man on a motorcycle grabbed his attention.

He claimed he was the man police were looking for before brandishing what is thought to be a replica weapon.

"I got to a little town called 'mundi and a chap on a Harley (Davidson) sort of pulled me over, I thought there might have been something wrong with my car," Peter Steer said.

The 7News car's dashcam captured the moment the man drives towards the service station and smashes into a sign. Source: 7News
The 7News car's dashcam captured the moment the man drives towards the service station and smashes into a sign. Source: 7News
Cameraman Peter Steer was responding to an armed siege when a man on a motorcycle grabbed his attention.
Cameraman Peter Steer was responding to an armed siege when a man on a motorcycle grabbed his attention.

"He got off his bike and approached me and said 'I've got a story for you'. I said 'Well mate, you better hurry because I'm going to a shooting', and he said 'Mate, I'm the shooter.'"

"It’s been terrible. I am remorseful," the man told 7News Cameraman Peter Steer.

"I was too scared to fight the demons off," he said.

"I said 'Ah, right Ok'. He handed me the pistol - handed it right over to me. He wanted to give himself up to police," continued Steer, who took the pistol off the gunman and put it on the front seat.

"I got out of the car and phoned police. We were talking. He wanted to tell his story on camera which I was doing. He seemed agitated and quite upset about what had happened before," said Steer.

Man brandishes a replica gun before driving away in the 7News car. Source 7News
Man brandishes a replica gun before driving away in the 7News car. Source 7News
The man spoke to Peter on camera before he jumped in the car and drove away. Source: 7News
The man spoke to Peter on camera before he jumped in the car and drove away. Source: 7News

The man jumped in the car after giving Steer an interview, climbing into the other side of the car, where the weapon was, before allegedly picking it up and pointing it towards the cameraman.

It's thought police came across Peter speaking with the man on the side of the road, when the 'gunman' spotted them and fled.

The man pulled away with the boot of the 7News car open.


RAW: The moment police catch wanted 'gunman'

He stopped partway down the street to close the boot before continuing to flee.

The 'gunman' told the cameraman he felt like such a coward. He said," I couldn't fight the devil."

"It was pretty confronting. I wanted to get that shot of him with the gun but I didn't want to get shot," said Peter Steer.

"He was fairly upset and I should have locked the car up and next thing I knew he had gone from being 'Mr Nice Guy' to someone who was going to take my car," said Steer.

The man had stopped down the street to close the boot after he'd driven off with it open. Source: 7News
The man had stopped down the street to close the boot after he'd driven off with it open. Source: 7News
The gunman stole the 7News car but crashed it into an LPG tank at a petrol station nearby. Photo: 7News
The gunman stole the 7News car but crashed it into an LPG tank at a petrol station nearby. Photo: 7News

The 'gunman' allegedly crashed the 7News car into an LPG tank at a petrol station, and has been arrested.

A bystander at the service station said he had just finished filling up his car when he saw the stolen vehicle crash into the LPG tank.

"A big crunch, gas everywhere - I just turned and bolted basically because I thought - I was in two minds - I thought someone's in there and another - I've got to get out of here," said a man named Joe.

Police with weapon in evidence bag. Souce: 7News
Police with weapon in evidence bag. Souce: 7News

Peter Steer also said the man went close to gas bottles: "I don't think he had a weapon on him at the time but he moved pretty much straight over to the gas bottles and anything could have happened from there because you could hear gas leaking at that time."

Police say they're very concerned about what can occur with the gas cylinder.

"Just with his actions itself with the vehicle, could have caused astronomical damage to the surrounding area," said Inspector Michael Miley.

The man is due to appear in Maroochydore Magistrates Court tomorrow.