A mother and daughter were shot dead in their Perth home. The attacker was looking for someone else.

Content warning: This story discusses domestic violence and suicide.

A man looking for his former partner at a home in Perth's west has instead shot dead the woman's female friend and teenage daughter before taking his own life. 

Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc, aged 59 and 18, were tragically killed at their Floreat home, where the gunman's ex-wife was believed to be taking refuge.

Jennifer's remaining daughter, Liesl Petelczyc lost her mother and sister on the same night, and after losing her father in 2019, is now the last remaining member of her family. 

Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc. Image: TikTok.

Police say she was not at home at the time of the incident. 

Detectives identified 63-year-old Mark James Bombara as the killer, and say he arrived at around 4.30pm looking for his former partner who was not home at the time.

Instead, he shot dead Jennifer who was his ex-partner's friend and critically wounded her daughter, Gretl, police said.He then took his own life.

Police arrived to find the two bodies, and paramedics rushed the 18-year-old girl to Royal Perth Hospital where she later died.

WA Police Detective Inspector David Gorton said officers had arrived on the street by the time the last shot was fired.

"We believe that last shot was the male taking his own life," he told reporters on Saturday.

"We still have ballistic technicians at the scene (and) at this stage, we're really unsure about how many shots were fired."

Jennifer, who went by Jenny, was an active community member and would regularly attend local government meetings. She was described by those close to her as "kind and generous".

"The family were great ambassadors for the Guide Dog Association and took on ‘Sunny’, a golden Labrador puppy, who they kept in their home," a family friend told the Daily Mail.

Gretl also had a bright future ahead of her. Aside from being a waterpolo player, she was studying for a Bachelor of Sport at the University of Western Australia. 

Gretl, 18, died over the weekend from her injuries. Image: 9News.

Detective Inspector Gorton said the man was known to police but did not have a history of violence.

"Any death is tragic," he said.

"However, when you get a multiple murder, it has that greater impact on the family, the friends, the first responders and certainly the community at large."

Police declared a crime scene at the property and said there was no ongoing threat to the public.

Gorton said police were continuing to support the man's ex-wife, family, friends and emergency responders affected by the tragic incident.

"We had the ex-wife and one of her daughters in our care at homicide squad last night (and) we are providing any support we can to them," he said.

"Obviously they are very distressed by these circumstances and WA Police will make the appropriate referrals to them for counselling."

However, police are not treating the shooting as family violence-related, because the man and the mother were not in a relationship, despite having met on previous occasions.

West Australian premier Roger Cook said the shooting was "senseless" and the women were "innocent people" who had died helping a friend in need.

"This is a circumstance in which a woman has sought refuge from a friend," Mr Cook told Perth radio station 6PR on Sunday. "As a result of that, that friend and her daughter have come to harm.

Mr Cook said the community should reflect on the deaths and "how we can all continue to make the world a safer place."

"They're innocent people ... simply doing what we'd all want someone to do when we're facing difficult circumstances," he said. "A friend that would stand by you and provide you with a bit of comfort and safety in their home.

"By every measure, it looks senseless, chilling and absolutely horrific... We all stand together in absolute condemnation of this sort of violence."

The investigation into the circumstances of the shooting is ongoing.

— With AAP.

This article was originally published on May 26, 2024, and has since been updated with new information.

Feature Image: Getty.

If this has raised any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service.