A man was stabbed and two men were shot in a dramatic night of crime and misadventure in Launceston on Wednesday night.
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- A 22-year-old man from Invermay attended the LGH with a gunshot wound to the groin about 5pm.
- A 20-year-old man from Rocherlea is in a critical condition in the LGH after accidentally shooting himself to the torso with a sawn-off shotgun about 7pm.
- A 39-year-old man is in the Launceston General Hospital after being stabbed with a knife in Waverley about 7.45pm.
Detective-Acting Inspector Bob Baker said:"Police would like to reassure the public that the incidents are not connected".
He said that while police did not have anyone in custody in relation to the stabbing they anticipated laying charges soon.
Police had a good idea of the identity of two men involved in an altercation with the victim shortly before the victim was found injured on the side of the road on Tasman Highway.
The two men were seen leaving the scene in a green Holden Commodore.
The vehicle was found in the Launceston CBD on Thursday.
"From our investigation it appears the three parties to the knife incident knew each other," he said.
The stabbing victim is at the Launceston General Hospital in a stable condition.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Launceston CIB is also investigating two shooting incidents which they believe are accidental.
He said an Invermay man had undergone surgery and was in a stable condition.
"The circumstances are still being investigated so it is undetermined how he sustained that gunshot," Acting -Insp Baker said.
He said the man was not cooperating with police despite being fit enough to do so.
Police believe the Invermay shooting was more likely to be accidentally self-inflicted than involving a third party.
Det Insp Baker said there were six people in a house in Burrawang Crescent, Rocherlea at the time of the shotgun injury.
"Police were called to a report of a male who sustained a gunshot wound to the torso," he said.
"The shooting at Rocherlea was contributed to by illegal alterations to a double-barrel shotgun which police have recovered."
The man underwent surgery and was last night in a critical condition.
"The man is in a critical condition, a shotgun wound to the torso could be fatal," he said.
Police have been unable to speak to him.
Acting Inspector Baker he had never known such a busy night in 27 years as a policeman in Launceston.
He said the presence of illegal or stolen firearms was an issue taken seriously by police.
"But it appears the incidents are possibly more accidental than anything else," he said.
Anyone with information about any of the incidents should contact Launceston CIB on 131
444, or Crime Stoppers anonymously on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperstas.com.au.
