A Gold Coast woman is being recognised for her extraordinary courage after rushing to help a neighbour who had suffered fatal gunshot wounds during a domestic violence incident in Biggera Waters.
Sharon Burgess-Close immediately responded after hearing cries for help coming from a neighbouring apartment on Loder Street shortly before 8 p.m. on Sunday.
According to Ms Burgess-Close, she heard someone yelling, “Oh my God, someone help me,” prompting her to run downstairs to assist without hesitation.
After arriving at the apartment, she said a man urgently requested an ambulance. While calling Triple Zero, she entered the residence and found 23-year-old Mallorie Roberts lying on the floor with life-threatening injuries.
Following instructions from the emergency operator, Ms Burgess-Close immediately began performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in an effort to save the young woman’s life.
Despite the desperate attempts by Ms Burgess-Close and other neighbours, Ms Roberts died at the scene.
Ms Burgess-Close later explained that she focused entirely on following the operator’s instructions and continued CPR throughout the emergency.
Two other neighbours also assisted during the incident, including one woman who attempted to apply pressure to Ms Roberts’ wound and another elderly resident who offered support until emergency services arrived.
Police later arrested Ms Roberts’ partner, 23-year-old Ethan Midgley, without incident. He has since been charged with one count of murder (domestic violence) and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon used to commit an indictable offence (domestic violence).
The matter is expected to proceed through the courts.
Although many members of the local community have described Ms Burgess-Close’s actions as heroic, she insists she simply did what anyone would have done in the same situation.
She said her motivation was the hope that someone would help if it were her own child in need.
Ms Burgess-Close also spoke about remembering Mallorie Roberts not only as a victim but as a young woman with a family, a child, friends, and neighbours who cared deeply about her.
The tragedy has deeply affected the Biggera Waters community and has once again drawn attention to the devastating impact of domestic and family violence across Australia.
Police investigations into the incident remain ongoing.
