A deadly early-morning attack has shaken the quiet community of Wallerfield, leaving one man dead and two other people — including the victim’s pregnant girlfriend — fighting for their lives in hospital. The violent incident unfolded shortly before 2 a.m. on Tuesday at a residential property located along Moonan Road, when most neighborhood residents were still asleep in their homes.
The victim has been publicly identified as 34-year-old Anthony Francis, who was also known to local acquaintances by the nickname “Smalls.” According to initial police accounts of the attack, Francis was resting in his bedroom when an unidentified gunman approached the home and opened fire, firing multiple rounds directly through the bedroom window. Francis was hit by gunfire at the scene and suffered fatal wounds that killed him before emergency responders could arrive.
Two other people inside the home were also struck by the gunman’s bullets: Francis’ pregnant girlfriend, who is expecting a child, and a second man who was staying at the property at the time of the attack. Both injured victims were immediately rushed by emergency medical teams to a nearby major hospital for urgent surgical care, and as of the latest update from authorities, they both remain in critical, unstable condition.
In the wake of the shooting, local law enforcement officials have launched a full criminal investigation to identify the attacker and determine the motive behind the pre-dawn assault. As of press time, no suspects have been taken into custody, and police have not released any additional details about potential leads or connections to other recent violent incidents in the area.