A possible terror incident has left two men dead and three police officers and a woman hostage injured in a Melbourne apartment building.
Police shot the gunman dead after discovering the body of another man in the foyer in the serviced apartment in Brighton, 11km south-east of Melbourne’s central business district.
The Seven Network is reporting the gunman called the organisation saying “This is for I.S [Islamic State]. This is for al-Qaida.”
Victoria police said it was investigating whether the incident was “terrorism related”.
Channel Seven reporter Paul Dowsley reported that his newsroom was called by a man claiming to be linked to the incident.
“My colleague could hear a woman screaming in the background,” he said.
Police arrived at the Buckingham Serviced Apartments in Bay Street at about 4pm after receiving reports of an explosion. “It’s believed he has a woman inside with him who he won’t allow to leave,” a police spokeswoman said at the time. The police attempted to negotiate with a man in one of the apartments.
Brighton resident Gemma was on the corner of Hillcrest Ave and Bay St when she heard gunshots.
“They were really fast paced, quick, lots of them and we ran,” she told the Australian Associated Press.
By 6pm, police had shot the gunman dead after he emerged from one of the apartments and opened fire on police. Police also discovered the body of another man in the foyer of the building.
Andrew Crisp, Victoria’s deputy police commissioner, said police had not yet identified either of the dead men. The woman was injured, but her injuries are believed to be non-critical.
-The Guardian
-Agencies
