Teenage Survivor of Triple Murder Shooting Spree Lives in Fear of Fugitive Gunman
The teenage sole survivor of a triple-murder shooting spree in a remote outback town is now living in constant fear, convinced he is being stalked by the alleged gunman who remains on the run after the deadly attack. Kaleb Macqueen, aged 19, was an innocent bystander who was allegedly shot by Julian Ingram during a murderous rampage that claimed the lives of Ingram's pregnant ex-girlfriend, her aunt, and a friend.
Horrific Injuries and Lingering Trauma
Mr Macqueen has revealed that he may lose his arm due to the severe injuries he sustained in the attack, which occurred three weeks ago in Lake Cargelligo, located approximately 600 kilometres west of Sydney. The physical wounds are compounded by deep psychological trauma, as he now lives in terror that Ingram will return to hunt him down.
Despite an extensive police manhunt for the alleged killer, Mr Macqueen is convinced he saw Ingram in town just a few days ago and even heard his distinctive, chilling laugh. "I thought I heard his voice, and how he laughs," Mr Macqueen told the Daily Mail. "He's got a certain laugh. It's evil. I jumped in my car. I was sweating."
The Deadly Shooting Spree Unfolds
The horrific incident began on January 22, when Ingram, aged 37, allegedly shot dead his heavily pregnant former girlfriend Sophie Quinn, 25, and her friend John Harris, 32, while they were sitting in a car on Bokhara Street. Ingram then drove to Walker Street, where he pulled into the driveway of Sophie's aunt, Nerida Quinn.
At the time, Mr Macqueen was assisting Ms Quinn with her car. Ingram is alleged to have leaned out of his car window, rested his shotgun on the wing mirror, and shot Ms Quinn in the neck. Witnesses report that Ingram callously laughed as his victim lay injured but conscious, before firing again and killing her instantly with a shot to the head.
"To this day I do not understand why he went for Nerida," Mr Macqueen added, reflecting on the senseless violence.
Desperate Flight and Ongoing Recovery
As the attack unfolded, Mr Macqueen attempted to flee for his life but was also shot, sustaining injuries to his head, shoulder, hand, and hip. Three weeks later, he remains haunted by the horror and is terrified that Ingram will resurface. He believes he spotted Ingram, nicknamed Hoolio, at a vending machine outside the local post office in Lake Cargelligo this week.
Mr Macqueen was with Nerida Quinn's son Gab at the time, and the pair immediately fled back to Mr Macqueen's home and called the police. Officers searched the area with torches but later informed him that the suspect was not Ingram. Mr Macqueen admits he may have imagined the encounter due to the trauma, but his fear persists. "It probably is all in my head... but if I don't listen to my instincts one night, that's the night it's all going to go down," he said.
Financial and Emotional Struggles Mount
Mr Macqueen now faces a desperate fight to keep his job with a mining company in the New South Wales Central West, as he is currently unable to work due to his injuries. Doctors have told him he requires extensive surgery to save his arm, with a 50/50 chance of amputation if he does not receive the necessary treatment within weeks.
He has launched a GoFundMe appeal to help cover mounting medical costs, as he fears the surgery will not be covered by Medicare. "Doctors said there is a 50/50 chance I will lose my arm if I don't get the surgery that I need," he explained. The financial burden is overwhelming, with a recent ambulance bill of $3,800 for transport to Canberra, 400 kilometres away, for lifesaving surgery.
Mr Macqueen is investigating whether he qualifies for a First Nations grant to assist with travel costs, but he remains in a precarious position. "It's roughly a week or two before I need to have my surgery and now I'm back at square one," he said. "I can't work, and because I'm living with my mum, I only get about $200 a fortnight from Centrelink. And that's nothing - you go and buy like four things at the supermarket and there's your $200 gone."
Psychological Toll and Security Concerns
The emotional impact of the shooting is severe. Mr Macqueen reports sleeping less than eight hours total since the attack and replaying Nerida's death in his mind daily. He avoids leaving the house, fearing Ingram's return, and instead stays inside his mother's home, obsessively checking security cameras and playing video games like Call of Duty.
He acknowledges that the violent game "probably isn't the best thing to do" but notes that the shooting simulations are nothing like the real experience. "The gunman's shotgun was very, very loud," he recalled. "The game's sounds are way different to the sounds I actually heard."
Police Manhunt and Community Anxiety
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Lake Cargelligo was swarmed with police from across New South Wales, including PolAir and Special Operations Group officers. However, Mr Macqueen has observed a decrease in police presence in recent days, leaving him feeling vulnerable. "It's been very quiet. I'm scared, to be honest," he admitted. "I know the police are doing everything they can, but I just feel like they're going to give up."
Ingram was last sighted in the early hours of January 25 in Mt Hope, a rural township 100 kilometres from Lake Cargelligo. Police insist the manhunt remains active. A spokesman for New South Wales Police stated, "NSW Police continue to search for 37-year-old Julian Ingram also known as Julian Pierpoint across the state’s Central West region. Police wish to reassure the community that locating Julian Ingram remains a priority, as officers continue to investigate under Strike Force Janko with intelligence-led policing at the forefront."
Strained Relationships and Ongoing Support
Mr Macqueen has not spoken to the families of Sophie Quinn and John Harris since the shooting, feeling a sense of guilt for surviving. "I haven't (been in touch with them) at the moment because I feel like they're looking at me differently because I survived," he confessed. "I know that's just in my head, but it's how I feel... It's taking its toll. [The killer's] done a good job [on me], that's all I can say. The whole thing has been made so much worse by the fact that he's still out there."
He has been offered counselling through police liaison services, but the fear and trauma continue to dominate his life. As the search for Julian Ingram persists, the small community of Lake Cargelligo remains on edge, with its lone teenage survivor grappling with the physical, financial, and emotional aftermath of a tragedy that has left three dead and a killer at large.
