PHOTO: Mark Bombara. THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
The devastated family of Mark Bombara has spoken out for the first time since he tragically killed a mother and daughter before taking his own life, prompting the government to announce a new crackdown on guns.
Bombara, 63, fatally shot Jennifer Petelczyc, 53, and her 18-year-old daughter Gretl at their home in Floreat, a suburb of Perth, on Friday afternoon before turning the gun on himself.
The property developer, who legally owned 13 guns, had been searching for his ex-wife, Rowena, the mother of his four adult children. Rowena had been staying intermittently at her friend’s home on Berkeley Crescent since the couple’s separation on April 1.
Mark James Bombara had been hunting for his ex-wife Rowena, who had been staying with Ms Petelczyc following their bitter divorce (Bombara and Rowena are pictured together)
Mark and Rowena’s adult children are (left to right) Isaac, Eden, Candice and Ariel Bombara
As both families grapple with the tragedy, the Bombaras, including children Candice, Ariel, Isaac, and Eden, have avoided the public eye. However, on Monday, Candice and Isaac were seen outside her East Fremantle home running errands. When approached, Isaac declined to comment, stating he “didn’t care” to discuss the incident.
The sighting coincided with the Western Australian government announcing potential further tightening of new gun laws. These proposed reforms, set to be introduced in parliament, aim to restrict the number of guns an individual can own and enforce mental health checks for gun owners. Currently, the reforms propose that recreational shooters can own up to five guns, and farmers and competitive shooters up to ten. Additionally, gun licenses could be automatically revoked if a violence or family violence order is issued against the owner.
If passed, these changes would make Western Australia’s gun laws the strictest in the country. Authorities are now considering even stricter measures in light of the recent tragedy. Police Minister Paul Papalia disclosed that Bombara had 11 firearms under a recreational shooter’s license and two handguns under a collector’s license. It is believed that one of these handguns was used in the shootings.
Mark Bombara, 63, stormed Jennifer Petelczyc’s Floreat home at about 4.30pm on Friday, looking for his estranged wife Rowena. Unable to find her, Bombara instead fatally shot her 53-year-old friend Jennifer Petelczyc and her daughter Gretl, 18, (pictured together) before turning the gun on himself
Premier Roger Cook highlighted the need for tougher gun laws, questioning why an individual living in a suburban area should legally own 13 guns. Mr. Papalia noted that Bombara had no prior convictions and had only come to police attention after his ex-wife requested police presence while she moved out of their marital home due to family domestic violence concerns, which had not been previously reported.
Under both current and proposed laws, police would not have had the authority to seize Bombara’s firearms at the time the domestic violence concerns were first reported. However, the new laws would have limited Bombara to owning only five weapons.
The government is now reviewing whether further reforms are necessary to allow earlier seizure of firearms in situations where there is a potential for harm. This includes incidents involving domestic violence or erratic behavior that pose a threat.
Mark Bombara’s erratic behavior had reportedly increased over the past six months due to untreated medical conditions, leading to significant personality changes. Jennifer Petelczyc had confided in friends about her fears for her family’s safety, suspecting that Bombara was carrying a gun while searching for his ex-wife.
Following the tragedy, the only surviving member of the Petelczyc family is eldest daughter Leisl, 23, who was not at home during the incident. Her father, Jon Petelczyc, passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2019.
For those affected by the tragedy, support is available through Lifeline at 13 11 14 and 1800 RESPECT.
SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL