User:Uowjournalism/Three injured in Broome, Australia bombings

Monday September 2, 2013

A bomb attack in the Community of, Western Australia has injured four people on the evening of Tuesday, August 24.

Bystanders and police have verified that the rare incident occurred around 7pm on Tuesday night. The One Mile community, which is on the outskirts of Broome consisting of 20 houses, was targeted by a drive by explosives attack.

The projectile was thrown out of the car window, where a 43-year-old picked up item. The woman was urgently flown to a Perth Hospital for surgery sustaining hand and leg injuries when it exploded.

According to Detective Senior Sergeant Brett Baddock, another three people suffered spinal, hearing and eyesight injuries.

"Amongst the group, two other members, including a 13-year-old girl, suffered various injuries including injuries to their hearing and eyesight," he said.

"And also a third victim suffered spinal injuries when she was attempting to flee from the explosion."

Police investigation continues and as new information develops, different theories are growing. But as of now Sergeant Baddock indicates that it may have been “a prank gone seriously wrong”.

This ‘prank’ has got many in the community worrying about their safety, and police are taking the situation very seriously with severe consequences.

"Using explosives as a weapon in an intentional act is something I've not heard of and is very serious and causes me great concern,” Sergeant Baddock said. “It's a real possibility someone could have been killed."

Local detectives have interviewed witnesses of the attack and are urging anyone who was in the area that has any information to come forward.

"I'm looking forward to catching up with the people responsible for this and bringing it to their attention, and also bringing them before the judicial system," Sergeant Baddock stated..

Meanwhile, there has been backlash regarding the lack of media coverage on the attacks. If this were to have happened in a ‘white’ city it would have been widely covered and labeled as “potential hate crime” or a “terrorist attack”, but in this instance, wasnplay as a “possible prank”.

Aboriginal feminist and activist The Woman interprets and questions the nature of the media coverage perfectly – “(I'm) Idly wondering what would happen if I went and casually lobbed an explosive down the whitest street in the village.”