A 27-year-old man arrested over a dramatic shooting in Canberra yesterday has faced the ACT Magistrates Court on nine charges, including shooting at a woman and trying to steal her car.

Key points: The woman was sitting in her car when she was shot

The woman was sitting in her car when she was shot The alleged gunman, Michael Paul Forrest, lost a bid to have his name suppressed

The alleged gunman, Michael Paul Forrest, lost a bid to have his name suppressed Police believe there is no connection between Mr Forrest and the woman

Michael Paul Forrest was arrested in Weston Creek, in Canberra's south, after a three hour manhunt on Tuesday.

The woman had been sitting in her car in a carpark a few streets from Parliament House, when Mr Forrest allegedly fired at her in the "head region" shortly after 8am.

She drove to nearby Manuka Oval where security staff called an ambulance. She is now being treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries.

Today Mr Forrest was charged with causing actual bodily harm, attempting to steal a car, and discharging a long barrelled firearm, along with intentionally damaging the car and other driving offences.

The charges also reveal allegations a .22 rifle was used.

Mr Forrest's lawyers tried to have his name suppressed, but the court rejected the application.

Police do not believe victim and alleged gunman are connected

A woman was shot in her car in Forrest before driving herself to the nearby oval for assistance. ( ABC News: Alexandra Alvaro )

Yesterday, Sergeant Simon Coady could not confirm whether the woman knew the man, but said there was "no information to suggest it was a targeted attack".

He said it appeared to be a "very random act", and that the public was not at risk while the alleged gunman was on the run.

This morning, ACT Chief Police Officer Ray Johnson told ABC Radio's Adam Shirley that it still appeared the victim and alleged gunman were not known to each other.

"We don't believe there was a connection between the two people at all," he said.

As the incident unfolded yesterday, ACT Policing assured the public that there was no risk to public safety as they worked to locate him.

ABC reporter: Was the incident domestic violence related? Sergeant Simon Coady: At this stage we've had no information to believe the matter relates to a domestic violence situation, and it appears to be a random incident. ABC reporter: So how was it that you were able to say that the public was not at risk if we don't know whether this was a random attack or whether they knew each other? Sergeant Simon Coady: Now that we have the person in custody there is no longer a risk, but at the time we dedicated a number of resources and we did everything we possibly could to ensure public safety.

Assistant Commissioner Johnson said this morning that it was the correct message to send.

"These things are always a matter for judgement and police will make the best judgement they can on providing community safety and messaging, but not to do that too prematurely as a matter unfolds and the facts become more clear," he said.

"At the time that we formed the view that there wasn't immediate threat, we were unaware of any other attacks, the vehicle hadn't been otherwise sighted.

"At that point we were aware of no other immediate threat to the community."

ACT Chief Police Officer Ray Johnson said police are investigating connections to a shooting in Queanbeyan. ( ABC News: Penny Travers )

Mr Forrest was arrested around 11:00am, but it wasn't until after 2:00pm that police notified the public.

"We were still establishing the facts," Assistant Commissioner Johnson said of the delay.

"It might well have been that this particular person wasn't the one that was connected to the particular matter, there was a number of lines of enquiry to be pursued by police. Those things take a little time."

Assistant Commissioner Johnson confirmed police were investigating whether the incident was linked to a shooting in Queanbeyan on Saturday.

"That's something that investigators will look at to see where this individual is connected with other criminality if we think they're offending.

"We'll continue to investigate and try to wrap all that up together."

He also said police were trying to determine if the gunman had an accomplice.

The case will be back in court later in the month.