Sydney, Australia
Reuters
—
A manhunt is underway in southern Australia for a heavily armed gunman who police said shot dead two officers and wounded another on Tuesday as they tried to serve a warrant at a rural property in the state of Victoria.
Police said the suspect fired on a team of 10 officers in Porepunkah, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) northeast of the city of Melbourne, at around 10.30 a.m. local time (8.30 p.m. Monday ET).
In a news conference on Tuesday evening, Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush confirmed a 59-year-old detective, and a 35-year-old senior constable had been fatally shot, and another detective was seriously injured and being treated in hospital.
He told reporters the suspect was heavily armed and dangerous, and urged the local community to stay indoors as “hundreds of police resources” conducted ground and air searches in the area.
“The suspect for this horrific event is still at large,” Bush told reporters. “We have deployed every specialist resource into this area to locate him.”
“Our priority is to arrest him to ensure that he’s held to account for the actions, but also very much to bring safety and security to this community.”
Local media outlet The Age said the officers were serving a warrant for historical sex abuse allegations when they were ambushed by the gunman, who then fled with several family members, including children.
Bush said the suspect had escaped the property on foot alone, and that it was unclear where his wife and two children were.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation also reported that police believed the shooter was a “sovereign citizen.” Sovereign citizens believe the government is illegitimate.
The town of Porepunkah is home to 1,000 residents and is located at the base of Australia’s alpine ranges.
“Today has been a day of deep sorrow and shock for our community,” Mayor Sarah Nicholas said in a statement.
The local council’s facilities across the town, including libraries, information centers and depots, would remain closed until further notice, Nicholas added.
Porepunkah Primary School principal Jill Gillies told ABC Radio Melbourne that the school was forced to lock down from 11.30 a.m. local time (9.30 p.m. Monday ET). ABC has since reported that the lockdown had been lifted.
The local airfield also closed due to the ongoing emergency response.
Police Association Victoria Chief Executive Wayne Gatt said officers across the country were shocked by the incident, a rare occurrence in Australia.
“There’s a shocking and eerie feeling of dread and indeed a sense of not knowing what to do,” he said. “Our members today paid the ultimate price for protecting the community.”