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Police say a suspect has been arrested after a woman was shot dead in a car in front of two children in the Queensland city of Mackay.
A 66-year-old who police said was shot in the chest when he went to check on the woman remained in a serious but stable condition in hospital overnight.
Police were called to Robb Place in South Mackay about 4.30pm yesterday over reports the woman had been shot.
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In a late-night press conference, District Officer Superintendent Graeme Paine said a 34-year-old woman drove to the location.
"At which point a 31-year-old male from South Mackay, has approached the vehicle and discharged a firearm into that vehicle striking the female," he alleged.
"At the time, there were two children in the vehicle."
Those children, believed to be young teens, immediately rushed to a nearby home.
Paine said it was "an absolutely shocking thing to have experienced" and "an absolutely tragic situation".
He said everyone involved "lived in close proximity to each other" in South Mackay but wouldn't go into further details, including whether the 66-year-old was a neighbour or lived in the home the children ran to.
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Police locked down several streets for hours as they searched for the gunman.
Police later spotted a suspect car in nearby Paget and arrested a 31-year-old man about 7.45pm outside a fast food restaurant on the Bruce Highway, near Hinton Street.
"We believe that we have a suspect in custody," Paine said.
"At this stage, there is no threat to the public."
He said there was "nothing to indicate that there was any domestic situation at this stage" but stressed the investigation was in its early stages.
The 66-year-old man was believed to have been shot once in the sternum and was being treated in Mackay Base Hospital.
An exclusion zone had been set up and encompassed Robb Place, Paradise Street, Archibald Street, Kindermar Street and Denton Street.
Members of the public were advised to avoid the area and those within the exclusion zone were asked to remain indoors until further notice and traffic diversions were but in place.
About 11pm, police the declaration under the Public Safety Preservation Act had been revoked.
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