Police in Australia hunt gunman after two officers killed in rural town

Manhunt nether mode for antheral accused of shooting dormant 2 officers and wounding different successful southeastern authorities of Victoria.

Police successful Australia are searching for a gunman who changeable dormant 2 officers and wounded different astatine a agrarian spot successful the southeastern authorities of Victoria, authorities person said.

The shooting occurred soon aft 10:30am connected Tuesday arsenic 10 constabulary officers were attending the spot successful Porepunkah, astir 300km (186 miles) northeast of Melbourne, Victoria constabulary said successful a statement.

Police urged the nationalist successful and astir Porepunkah to stay indoors until further notice, and asked radical not to question to the area.

“The nonstop circumstances surrounding the incidental are inactive being determined and it remains an progressive and ongoing situation,” Victoria constabulary said.

“It’s believed the offender has since near the spot and astatine this clip his whereabouts are unknown. A important hunt is actively underway to find the man.”

Local media, which named the fishy arsenic Dezi Freeman, reported that the constabulary officers had travelled to the spot to execute a warrant relating to alleged humanities enactment offences.

Alex Caruana, president of the Australian Federal Police Association, expressed condolences to the families of the deceased officers.

“Policing is unsafe and unpredictable work, and what has happened successful Porepunkah is simply a reminder of the risks officers look each time successful keeping the assemblage safe,” Caruana said successful a statement.

Gun deaths are comparatively uncommon successful Australia, which introduced pugnacious restrictions connected firearms successful effect to the 1996 Port Arthur wide shooting, which killed 35 radical and injured 23 others.

The past clip an Australian constabulary serviceman was changeable dormant successful the enactment of work was November 2023, erstwhile Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig was killed portion responding to a telephone astatine a spot successful South Australia, according to the National Police Memorial.