Two police officers were shot dead and another was seriously injured in a shooting in Porepunkah town in Australia on Tuesday afternoon (local time), August 26. Australian police said an active shooting incident is currently underway, and the whole town is under lockdown.
Porepunkah, is located 300km north-east of Melbourne, has closed its airfield in Buckland Valley due to the ongoing emergency response. This is one of the deadliest attacks on law enforcement in the country in recent times.
The officers killed during the ambush and another was shot in the thigh, sources told The Age. The suspected gunman has been identified as a sovereign citizen. The accused is holding his family, including his wife and children, as hostages.
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Firing at the private property in Porepunkah twon prevented police officers from entering the house as they awaited Special Operations officers. According to the Victoria Police, the situation remains active. Nearby schools, shops, and industrial units have been placed under lockdown until further notice.
Porepunkah is a small alpine town in northeast Victoria with a population of 1,000 . There is a huge police presence. "Victoria Police continues to respond to an incident at a property in Porepunkah. This is still an active incident, and we will provide more information when it's operationally safe to do so," wrote Victoria Police on X.
MP Brad Battin, State Liberal Member for Berwick and leader of the Victorian Liberal Party, confirmed the killing of two police officers. Just before Question Time this afternoon, distressing reports emerged that two police officers had been shot dead and a third officer injured in an incident at Porepunkah in the state's north east,” he wrote on X while sharing a video of his speech on the incident during the Question Time in Parliament.
“I am in no doubt police officers across Victoria felt a chill upon hearing the news of this tragedy. Even years after my own time in the force, I still feel that same chill,” he added.
“I want our brave police members to know we stand with you. We stand beside you. We thank you for your willingness to put yourselves in the line of fire to keep us safe. I send my condolences to the families affected by today’s incident. I can only imagine how they must be feeling,” he wrote further.