Two police officers have been killed and another seriously wounded in a shooting during the execution of a search warrant in the rural town of Porepunkah, Victoria. The suspect, who fled into the bush alone, is believed to be heavily armed and remains at large, police have said.
The officers, a 59-year-old detective and a 35-year-old senior constable, were killed at the scene. A third detective remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition. Ten officers attended the property at around 10:30am on Monday, with Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush stating that the number of officers deployed reflected the ‘gravity’ of the situation.
The suspect is known to police and is believed to have been living in a bus on the semi-rural property with his partner and two children, whose whereabouts are unknown. Police said the suspect fled alone and is ‘heavily armed’. The shooting occurred ‘over minutes’, according to Bush, and police are yet to confirm whether any shots were fired by officers.
Police have deployed hundreds of specialist resources to search for the suspect, with the community of Porepunkah advised to remain indoors. Porepunkah Primary School was placed into lockdown earlier but has since reopened, while a nearby caravan park remains in lockdown and the local pub has closed. Tributes have poured in from the prime minister, police organisations, and emergency services across the country.
Commissioner Bush urged the suspect to surrender, stating: ‘My message to that person is give yourself up so that the community can be at peace and we can have this matter resolved peacefully.’ Police are expected to release an image of the suspect imminently.
