Allegedly obsessed shooter 'targeted' man before firing homemade gun at his car

It is alleged a homemade-firearm-wielding shooter “stalked and targeted” his suspected victim before firing his gun at the man’s car while they were on a main road in Phillip.

Mariusz Ergland Nurzynski was charged over the alleged attack said to have taken place on Ainsworth Street in the early hours of Tuesday (22 August).

The 59-year-old was seen putting his head in his hand and sobbing when he was ultimately refused bail in the ACT Magistrates Court the next day, Wednesday, and he was led off into custody.

The complainant had left his home at around 6 am that morning and was about to get into his Mitsubishi Triton utility to go to work when he turned around and saw a masked man standing behind him, court documents allege.

He asked the man who he was and what he wanted before chasing him into an alley.

It is alleged the man then turned around and pointed a homemade gun at the complainant’s head. The latter ran back towards his car, swerving to avoid the gun.

He got into his ute, drove past the man on Ainsworth Street and yelled at him to ask what he wanted, then allegedly heard a loud “boof”.

He thought the sound was the man shooting the gun and later noticed a large hole in his passenger-side door.

Police examined the hole and saw it had penetrated the inner layer of the door but did not breach the interior door panel. They also removed a projectile from it.

Nurzynski’s home in Garran was raided by police on Wednesday morning, during which it is alleged he admitted making the firearm, going to the complainant’s location to scare him and firing the gun after the complainant confronted him.

Police also allegedly found a device suspected to be a homemade firearm that had a round in its chamber.

Nurzynski was charged with discharging loaded arms, discharging loaded arms with the intention to cause a person to fear for their safety and possessing ammunition.

Legal Aid’s Lorenna Wienert, who applied for him to be released on bail, said he had requested help for his mental health, had physical health issues and was extremely vulnerable.

The prosecutor opposed bail based on the likelihood of him allegedly reoffending and endangering the safety and welfare of anyone.

Special Magistrate Rebecca Christensen ultimately accepted such risks existed and refused bail.

She said there were concerning allegations that he knows where the complainant lives and had “stalked and targeted” him, while police believe he has an “obsession” towards the complainant.

He was remanded in custody and the matter was adjourned until 13 September.