Police and paramedics rushed to Sunnybank Hills in the city’s south after reports from residents of gun shots and screaming just after 7am. A man and a woman were found injured in the street outside a home on Goman Street with several gunshot wounds.

The man, believed to be aged in his 20s, is in a critical condition and fighting for life with a number of chest wounds. The woman, also in her 20s, who was shot twice in the leg but is in a stable condition.

Both are at Princess Alexandra Hospital.

“They were there lying there bleeding waiting for the ambulance,” a man who lives in the street told The Courier-Mail. “

You could hear them they were screaming and crying. It was crazy.”

Police allege the pair approached a home and confronted a man who was standing on his veranda and opened fire on them.

Queensland Police Inspector Geoff Acreman said the motive for the shooting is unclear but it’s clear this was not a random attack.

“The reports are that (the man on the veranda) has produced a firearm and started shooting at the people on the road,” Inspector Acreman told media at the scene. “It’s reported that the suspect has then jumped the neighbouring fence and continued to shoot at the people on the footpath.”

The pair took cover in a bus shelter but were shot “multiple times”, he said.

Inspector Acreman said the alleged offender fled the scene in a black BWM, accompanied by a second person, and was tracked by officers to an address in the nearby suburb of Doolandella.

“The property in Doolandella is the registered address of the person we’re talking to at the moment but there’s also a suggestion that he may have a (connection) to this property as well.”

An emergency declaration was made and police cleared surrounding homes and streets, however the suspect was taken into custody without incident inside the Fred Pham Crescent property.

“There was no resistance. We secured the area because there’s a firearm involved … but when police did confront him, he was arrested without incident,” Inspector Acreman said.

The second person in the vehicle is assisting police but he said there's no suggestion “anyone else fired a weapon”.

The two victims live locally and arrived at the house on foot, Inspector Acreman said. They had a “rather large dog with them”.

The animal was agitated in the wake of the shooting and bit a policeman who responded, he said.

“He needed treatment as well. He’s fine — a bit embarrassed.”

Queensland Ambulance Service dispatched several crews, including a specialist critical response paramedic. It described the incident as “significant”.

“I heard several shots in a row and some very high-pitched screams,” a man told Channel 9. “I’ve never heard anything like it in all the time I’ve lived in this neighbourhood.”

Another witness told Channel 7 that he saw the man and woman being chased in the street by the armed attacker.

The woman was shot and dropped to the ground before the man was fired upon. Neighbours heard him screaming for help.

Inspector Acreman said locals had understandably been left shaken by the early morning incident.

“Waking up to gunshots would be a nervous start to the day for anybody, but in a suburban area like this it’s not something you’d expect. People in the neighbourhood are quite concerned but they don’t need to be. The person we believe is responsible for the shooting is in custody.”

Investigators have recovered a number of .22 calibre shell casings from the scene but have not found the weapon.

“We’re always concerned that anybody has a weapon in a suburban area,” Inspector Acreman said.

“The whole point of firearm restrictions is so someone doesn’t have weapons that can be used in these situations. Unfortunately, the people who have these weapons generally don’t care about the law.”

Crime scenes have been established at both locations with multiple surrounding streets blocked off.

Investigations are continuing and anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.