A young woman is still fighting for life after being shot in the head and neck during a boxing event at a pub fight night, with her childhood friend struggling to understand how an innocent night out could end in such violence.
Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau, 19, was among four people shot at Fitzy’s in Loganhome, south of Brisbane, on Saturday night, when two masked men allegedly opened fire from a car during an intermission.
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Bella Annakin said the pair had grown up together, meeting in Grade 3 at Flagstone State School before continuing their schooling together at Flagstone State Community College.
Now, with Schuster-Togiatau in a critical condition, Annakin is left thinking about the future they had imagined together.
“You think, ‘yeah, I’m going to be seeing you at your wedding, I will see you have a kid one day, I’ll see you blossom into the human you want to be’,” she told 7NEWS.
“You picture what your life is going to be like in 20 years.”
Childhood friend Bella Annakin has spoken out about the moment she learned 19-year-old Vana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau was fighting for her life after being shot at a Loganholme boxing event. Credit: 7NEWSVana-Reese Schuster-Togiatau, 19, was shot in the head and neck during a boxing event at Fitzy’s in Loganholme on Saturday night. Credit: 7NEWS
Annakin described Schuster-Togiatau as a driven young woman who was enjoying life after finishing school less than a year ago.
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“She was the bubbliest girl, always happy, just the light of the room,” she said.
“She was just working, living her life, going out. Just being young like she should’ve been.”
The pair had spoken on Snapchat on the day of the shooting, sharing pictures Schuster-Togiatau and her boyfriend got dressed up and ready to go out.
“I’ve actually never seen her happier,” she said of Schuster-Togiatau and her boyfriend.
Annakin had heard about the shooting but did not realise her friend was among the victims until other friends contacted her.
“To me, it’s just an utter shock,” she said.
“You question why. Like, why would it happen to her?”
A woman and three men remain in hospital after the shooting during a boxing event. Credit: 7NEWSSchuster-Togiatau had finished school less than a year ago and was enjoying life when she was caught up in the shooting. Credit: 7NEWS
Police allege a car pulled into the pub’s drop-off zone during the intermission before two men wearing balaclavas and gloves opened fire from the front passenger window.
Schuster-Togiatau, from Jimboomba, was struck in the head and neck and rushed to Princess Alexandra Hospital, where she remains in a critical condition.
Police have described her as an innocent bystander.
Three men — aged 27, 37 and 38 — were also shot and taken to hospital with gunshot wounds to their abdomens. The 38-year-old also suffered a wound to his arm.
More than 100 people, including families with young children, were at the venue for the live boxing event.
Investigators are examining possible links to organised crime, with police saying elements of pre-planning led them to believe the shooting was not random.
The shooting was raised in Parliament, where Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the government would do everything possible to hold those responsible to account.
“Our thoughts are with those victims and we’ll make every effort to ensure those responsible are brought to justice,” he said.
Police are renewing their appeal for CCTV and dashcam footage of a silver Mitsubishi ASX allegedly used as a getaway car before it was later found torched.
A getaway car was found engulfed in flames after the shooting. Credit: 7NEWSQueensland Premier David Crisafulli is defending the state’ weapon laws following the Loganholme shooting. Credit: 7NEWS
Links to outlaw motorcycle gangs or organised crime have not been ruled out, with CQU criminologist Xanthe Weston saying the shooting had the hallmarks of a hit.
“It’s possible that the individuals involved have come in from out of state. It’s also possible that they’re simply guns for hire,” she said.
For Annakin, the circumstances have left her thinking just anyone could be caught up in gun violence while simply trying to enjoy a night out.
“It’s not her fault, because all she wanted to do was go to an event and go outside,” she said.
“It could’ve been anyone. It just, unfortunately, happened to be her.”
She said the reality of seeing Schuster-Togiatau fighting for survival was difficult to comprehend.
“You don’t expect ever waking up, seeing someone that you’ve spent a lifetime with already, fighting for her life,” she said.
The shooting has also left Annakin questioning the safety of public spaces.
“What do you mean we have to worry about what’s happening around us when we’re out in public, going to an event?” she said, adding the shooting had forced her to think differently about life and how quickly everything could change.
“It hasn’t been a year since we even graduated,” she said.
“Some of the last memories a lot of people in our grade do have of her is crossing the stage or going to formal with her.
“It puts you in a weird feeling. You start thinking about time, you just start really thinking about life.”
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