Man charged over alleged daylight shooting that locked down Cairns

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A man has been charged over an alleged daylight shooting that sparked an emergency and locked down a suburb in Cairns. 

Police were called to Collins Avenue in Edge Hill about 1pm (2pm AEDT) on Thursday, after a witness reported seeing a man emerge from a white vehicle and shoot at the driver of a black Audi.

A woman, who was a passenger in the black Audi, helped the injured man in the car before all three involved fled the scene.

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Cairns emergency

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The Audi was later found empty and damaged on Pease Street, near Edge Hill State School, while police declared an emergency as they tried to located the alleged shooter.

Residents were told to not leave their homes and a boundary was placed around the area as several officers scoured the area.

Later that same day, the emergency declaration was revoked and a 43-year-old man was found with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to his leg.

Detective Acting Inspector Jason Chetham earlier this week said the cars had allegedly crashed before the shooting but it was not a road rage incident.

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"It's most likely people who know each other," he said at a press conference on Thursday.

Police have today charged a 35-year-old man from Varsity Lakes with acts intended to maim, disfigure, or disable and contravening an order about information necessary to access information stored electronically.

He will face Townsville Magistrates Court tomorrow.