A police officer in Melbourne fatally shot a man who rammed him with a car, pinning him against a brick wall at a factory in Tullamarine, authorities said. The incident occurred early Friday following a 40-minute chase through the city involving three suspects in allegedly stolen vehicles.
Assistant Commissioner Stephen Leane stated that officers boxed in one suspect's car, but when a sergeant exited his vehicle to confront the driver, the suspect rammed him. The sergeant then fired four shots, one of which fatally wounded the driver. The sergeant suffered possible bone bruising to his leg but was otherwise unharmed.
The other two suspects, aged 21 and 22, attempted to flee on foot after the shooting but were arrested after their car became bogged. The police dog squad and other officers apprehended them. The chase began around 1am when police spotted a car linked to overnight burglaries at Melbourne businesses.
Witness Rocco Sorace reported hearing nine loud bangs. The homicide squad and professional standards command are investigating the shooting, which is the second involving Melbourne police in 24 hours. On Thursday night, a police vehicle was rammed by a stolen car in Berwick, prompting an officer to fire shots, but the driver escaped.
