A woman reversing her car out of a driveway in Midvale was hit by shotgun bullets on Wednesday as she appeared to be caught in the middle of an unrelated chase.
In what was Perth's second shooting on Wednesday, state control centre officers said her car was shot at as the occupants of another car chased a man on foot.
The victim, 43, had just dropped her son's friend off at his parent's house and was reversing her white Toyota out of their driveway, on to Hooley Road, when the bullets hit the car, showering the three passengers in glass and hitting the woman in the shoulder.
"What we have been told by witnesses is that there was a dark-coloured sedan, a Mitsubishi Lancer, driving pretty erratically; apparently it was seen doing some burnouts along a nearby road," Nine News' Scott Cunningham told Radio 6PR from the scene.
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"It turned a corner and had been chasing a guy who has been running down the street quite frantically apparently.
"Some of the neighbours we spoke to said he was just running for his life and this car was chasing him and that was when the witnesses have said the guy in the car has [gone up the kerb], pulled out a shotgun and fired it."
Kyle, the friend who had just exited the car, was saying his goodbyes when the incident took place, he told Radio 6PR.
"This black Lancer let off a shotgun at some guy it was chasing and missed him completely," he said.
"It hit my mate's car and got my mate's mum.
"I just thought it was a tyre. There was just a puff of smoke and a loud bang but it didn't sound loud enough to be a gun ... then I realised the windows were smashed, and I walked over and there were windows smashed and pellets all through.
"It was pretty much silence afterwards. Everyone was just in shock.
"If it had been a few inches higher...
"I'll go see her today make sure she's OK."
Kyle said the car involved took off down the road, looped around and came back about five minutes later, driving past to see what had happened before speeding off again. The man who had been running returned briefly to check on the woman who had been shot before taking to his heels again.
"Down this end [of town] it's probably drugs or money owed or something like that," Kyle said.
The mother's injuries were not life-threatening. She was taken to Midland Hospital via ambulance.
The incident happened just after 6pm, hours after another man was shot in Butler in a separate incident that morning.
Midland Detectives are investigating. Anyone with any information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au. Callers can remain anonymous.