The daughter of a Perth man who shot dead his ex-wife's best friend and her teenage daughter has revealed she and her mother begged police for help before the double murder.
Mark Bombara shot and killed Jennifer Petelczyc, 59, and her youngest daughter Gretl, 18, at their home in Floreat on Friday afternoon while searching for his ex-wife before taking his own life.
Today, Bombara's daughter Ariel Bombara released a powerful statement explaining she and her mother feared for their lives and repeatedly told police about her father's guns.
READ MORE: Mother and daughter killed in Perth's west by man searching for his ex-wife
"We were ignored by five different male officers across three occasions of reporting," Ms Bombara said.
"By that point we felt completely helpless and I had to focus on getting mum to safety.
"I did everything I could to protect my mother, and when my father couldn't find us he murdered her best friend and her best friend's daughter."
Ms Bombara said she and her mother fled their family home on March 28 "in fear of our lives and to remove ourselves from an abusive situation".
She claimed she spoke with police on three separate occasions between March 30 and April 2, each time telling them about her father's gun collection.
"I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives," she said.
READ MORE: Premier vows to tighten gun restrictions after 'senseless' murders of Perth mother and daughter
Bombara held 11 firearms on a recreational shooter's licence and owned two handguns on a collector's licence. He was also authorised to collect ammunition under an ammunition collector's licence.
"I specifically mentioned that there was a Glock handgun which was unaccounted for," Ms Bombara said.
"My understanding is this ultimately would be one of the weapons my father used take the lives of two innocent women."
She was adamant that the deaths of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc were "an act of domestic violence".
In its initial public comments around the murders, WA Police did not classify them as domestic violence-related.
"Police have always accepted that the motivation for these crimes were family and domestic violence (FDV) related, however the crimes committed were murder, and ultimately the contributing factors will be a matter for the coroner to consider," WA Police later clarified in a statement earlier this week.
"What my father did was an act of domestic violence," Ms Bombara said.
"My mother and I made clear that lives were at risk, and we were repeatedly ignored. Repeatedly failed. Those failures have cost the lives of two incredible women.
"My father should always be considered accountable for his actions. They were his and his alone, however, there are authorities who should have helped us stop him, and they failed.
"I want answers."
Police commissioner responds
Police Commissioner Col Blanch this afternoon responded to the claims by Ms Bombara that she and her mother were "ignored" when they begged officers for help before the double murder.
Before he began, Blanch explained he had not previously spoken publicly on the case because he had been sick with COVID-19 and was in isolation but added "this was too important".
The commissioner described Friday's double murder of Jennifer and Gretl Petelczyc as "tragic".
"We've seen a senseless act of violence in West Australia," he said.
"This is something I know the whole of West Australia is grieving over, including the first responders and police officers."
He would not answer specific questions about police actions in the lead-up to the shooting, but instead said there would be a "thorough" internal investigation.
"I have asked our internal investigations unit to conduct an investigation into the three interactions that Ariel speaks about with our police officers," Blanch said, adding it would "determine what was done, said, and what police responses were decided on".
Blanch was also asked specifically about a night in late March when Ms Bombara said she begged police to take out a temporary restraining order against her father because she and her mother were fearing for their lives.
"On the information that the police had on the night, the circumstances would not have met the threshold of a 72-hour police order," he said.
"Everything that was spoken about on that night will form part of the investigation."
When asked about WA Police's hesitation to initially class the murders as domestic violence, he said the officer that was asked about the crimes early in the investigation was simply commenting on the crimes themselves – which were classed as murder because the victims were not intimate partners or family of the killer.
"We all know in our hearts and minds what this is, it's domestic violence," Blanch said.
Blanch also moved to reassure other victims of domestic violence in the community not to be discouraged from coming forward to police for help, and said if a family violence order is filed it gives officers the power to remove guns from the accused.
Ariel Bombara's full statement
I'd like to start by saying how truly, deeply sorry I am to [redacted] Petelczyc for the losses of her beautiful mother, Jenny, and sister Gretl; losses she has suffered at the hands of my father's violence.
My mother and I fled our family home on March 28 in fear of our lives and to remove ourselves from an abusive situation.
Between March 30th and April 2nd, I spoke with police on three separate occasions to raise the alarm about my father.
On each occasion I alerted officers to my father's guns, and told them my mother and I felt there was a real and imminent threat to our lives.
I specifically mentioned that there was a Glock handgun which was unaccounted for.
My understanding is this ultimately would be one of the weapons my father used take the lives of two innocent women.
I also asked the police if we would be able to take out a 72 hour temporary protective order.
We were told no, and that there was nothing police could do about the situation at that time.
On April 2nd, my mother and I were given a police escort to our home to collect some belongings. This was the third occasion we warned police about my father's guns.
One officer said, "oh don't worry, we know all about the guns", and when he called for backup, he warned his fellow officers to wear bullet proof vests.
We were ignored by five different male officers across three occasions of reporting.
By that point we felt completely helpless and I had to focus on getting mum to safety. I did everything I could to protect my mother, and when my father couldn't find us he murdered her best friend and her best friend's daughter.
The gun reforms being discussed currently are an important step, but it is my unwavering belief that even without his guns my father would have committed a horrific act of violence which likely would have claimed lives.
What my father did was an act of domestic violence.
My mother and I made clear that lives were at risk, and we were repeatedly ignored. Repeatedly failed.
Those failures have cost the lives of two incredible women. My father should always be considered accountable for his actions.
They were his and his alone, however, there are authorities who should have helped us stop him, and they failed.
I want answers.
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.
Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.
Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.
National Domestic Violence Service: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732). If you are in immediate danger call triple zero (000).
