Tullamarine fatal police shooting: Driver of allegedly stolen car dies in Melbourne's north-west
Updated
Video: Victoria Police officers were involved in a fatal shooting in Melbourne overnight.
(ABC News)
Victoria Police has said the fatal shooting of a man at Tullamarine in Melbourne's north-west occurred after an officer was pinned up against a wall by a car while investigating alleged burglaries.
Key points:
- Victoria Police says officers were following a group of men over allegations of burglaries
- The man fatally wounded was driving a stolen vehicle, they say
- An officer reportedly suffered bruising on his legs in the incident
The early morning pursuit began with officers following a group of suspects just after 1:00am.
The police airwing was used to track the men, travelling in the first of three suspected stolen cars, along the Western Ring road at Werribee.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said police pursued the car through St Albans and then to Tullamarine.
Police tried to stop the men as they approached the Tullamarine Freeway, but the vehicle sped up and tried to drive up an embankment, he said.
The three men then jumped out and headed towards a nearby industrial estate, where they stole another car and police lost sight of them.
The men were then detected near Carrick Drive, where a third vehicle was stolen from inside a factory.
"It looks like there's been a collision between the offender's vehicle and our police car," Assistant Commissioner Leane said.
"The sergeant in the police car has got out of the car for some reason, we still have to work out exactly what happened at the scene.
"But what we have been able to find out is that some stage the offender's vehicle has pinned the sergeant against a brick wall."
Four shots fires by pinned officer: police
Assistant Commissioner Leane said four shots were fired by the pinned officer.
"We believe there was four shots fired, one of them fatally wounding the man who was driving the stolen vehicle at that time," he said.
The identity of the man has not been released.
Two men, aged 18 and 22, were later arrested at another location in Tullamarine after they fled the scene of the shooting.
Assistant Commissioner Leane said a large police team was involved in looking for the men, including a helicopter.
"It was a big team of police involved in this," he said.
"So it was a significant issue that will affect them today and into the future."
Two officers were taken to hospital in a stable condition, Ambulance Victoria said.
Assistant Commissioner Leane said the pinned officer had bruising to his leg.
Growling dog alerted witness
Rocco Sorace said he was inside a nearby factory at the time of the incident.
He said his dog started growling to alert him to someone in the area.
"I got up and went to the door and there was somebody trying to push my door open," he said.
"I said 'don't come in', he's left, and 10 minutes later I heard the police coming in."
He said he heard several "loud bangs".
An investigation is underway involving homicide detectives and the Professional Standards Command.
Meanwhile, a major search is continuing for the driver of a stolen car who was shot by police at Berwick in Melbourne's south-east on Thursday afternoon.
Police said they did not believe the incidents were related.
Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, tullamarine-3043
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