Police Errors and Missed Warnings Exposed at Inquest Into Floreat Killings

A coronial inquest in Perth has exposed multiple police failures and missed warnings before a gunman shot and killed Jennifer Petelczyc and her daughter Gretl in May 2024. Mark Bombara forced his way into the Petelczyc home in Floreat while looking for his estranged wife, Rowena, who had left him weeks earlier along with their daughter Ariel. Bombara killed 59-year-old medical receptionist Jennifer and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl before taking his own life.

Police Lapses

The five-day inquest revealed a twenty-year failure to review gun licences alongside four separate pleas for help that police ignored. As the attack unfolded, Gretl Petelczyc twice called emergency services and waited over a minute both times without reaching an officer before the calls dropped. Police policy required a call-back, but no one returned her calls. Ariel Bombara also called emergency services while she and her mother listened to the murders over the phone, waiting two minutes and eighteen seconds for an answer. The dispatcher initially marked the call as priority two before upgrading it to priority one after five minutes. Officers arrived at the scene eleven minutes after the emergency call, reaching the house just as the final gunshots rang out.

Missed Warnings

About two months before the killings, police accompanied Rowena Bombara to the family home to gather her belongings after she fled. Family members, including son Isaac, warned officers about the gunman's fragile mental state and the potential presence of firearms. However, officers did not search the house, check the gun safe, or seize any weapons. Had they checked, they would have found over 1,000 rounds of illegal ammunition. Constable Shaun King entered the home first, accepted a cup of tea from the shooter, and later admitted he was misled by the pleasant surroundings and behaviour. Superintendent Andrew Wilson reviewed body camera footage and stated that the gunman successfully groomed the officers into a false sense of security.

Context

Domestic violence inquiries frequently examine how emergency response systems and weapon management protocols handle high-risk situations involving estranged partners. The review highlights systemic gaps in firearm oversight and emergency call prioritisation when confronting armed offenders.