Australia:Two police officers killed, one injured in Victoria shooting, manhunt under way

CANBERRA (Australia): Australian police are searching for a gunman after a shooting incident at a rural property in Porepunkah, Victoria, left two officers dead and one injured, Al Jazeera reported, citing an authorities’ statement.

The incident occurred around 10:30 am (local time) on Tuesday when 10 police officers attended the property, located about 300km northeast of Melbourne, Victoria police confirmed in a statement, according to Al Jazeera.

Authorities have urged the public in and around Porepunkah to stay indoors until further notice and advised against travelling to the area.

Victoria police said, “The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are still being determined, and it remains an active and ongoing situation.”

“It’s believed the offender has since left the property, and at this time his whereabouts are unknown. A significant search is actively underway to locate the man,” the statement added.

Local media reports identify the suspect in the police shooting incident as Dezi Freeman,

According to these reports, the police officers were at the property in Porepunkah to execute a warrant related to alleged historical sex offences when the incident occurred.

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

“Policing is dangerous and unpredictable work, and what has happened in Porepunkah is a reminder of the risks officers face every day in keeping the community safe,” Caruana said in a statement.

Gun-related fatalities are relatively rare in Australia, which introduced strict restrictions on firearms in response to the 1996 Port Arthur mass shooting, which killed 35 people and injured 23 others.

The last time an Australian police officer was shot dead in the line of duty was November 2023, when Brevet Sergeant Jason Doig was killed while responding to a call at a property in South Australia, according to the National Police Memorial. (ANI)