Man driving ‘erratically’ before dramatic CBD arrest
Police say they were prepared to shoot a man whose erratic behaviour in Melbourne’s CBD yesterday was an awful reminder of 2017’s horrific massacre.
VIC News
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Police were prepared to shoot to kill yesterday when a man allegedly performed burnouts and climbed onto the roof of his car in Melbourne’s CBD, in an act awfully reminiscent of 2017’s Bourke St massacre.
Victoria Police superintendent Dan Trimble said that using new shoot-to-kill powers was always a consideration during an incident of this proportion.
“That would always be a consideration, and if required we would,” Supt Trimble told 3AW.
“In this circumstances in the time that it happened it wasn’t required.
“It wasn’t [considered] by me at the time.”
Supt Trimble said that police arrived at the scene three minutes after the incident was first noticed.
“He was followed once we became aware of the incident at Flinders and Swanston St and then we followed him on cameras there and he was intercepted down at Williams St and Flinders [St],” he said.
“Certainly I think [the Bourke St massacre] was what everyone was thinking when he performed what he did at Flinders and Swanston St, and as a result of the incident in 2017 there have been a number of measures put in place across the CBD.”
The man accused of doing donuts and climbing on the roof of his car in Flinders St had been arrested a day earlier.
Police said they were called to an incident on Tuesday involving a 26-year-old man allegedly trespassing at a business in Blackburn North, in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
The 26-year-old man was arrested at the scene – 24 hours before chaos unfolded in the CBD and streets were placed into lockdown.
In a statement, Victoria Police said they attended a business in Blackburn North about 11.50am on Tuesday following a report of an alleged trespasser.
“A 26-year-old man was arrested and taken to hospital for assessment,” it said.
The incident came one day before the 26-year-old man was arrested at the corner of Flinders and William streets at 1.50pm in a dramatic police operation involving the Critical Incident Response Team.
The erratic behaviour caused CBD chaos and forced a lockdown for several hours yesterday.
He has been charged with reckless conduct endangering life and a number of traffic offences and will appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.
The huge police operation was sparked yesterday when the man allegedly jumped onto the roof of his car yesterday afternoon and yelled for police before performing a doughnut, stalling his vehicle and driving erratically down Flinders St.
No one was injured in the incident.
Footage captured the man appearing to rant and wave his arms at people while standing on the roof of the car.
A man taking the footage was heard saying: “What a f***ing loony.”
Dozens of people were seen walking by him, staring as they passed.
An earlier exclusion zone has been lifted, with traffic resuming Flinders and William streets.
Police confirmed the incident was not being treated as a terror incident at this stage.
The man had no weapons on him.
As a precaution, the bomb squad examined a backpack in the man’s car.
Superintendent Dan Trimble said they received reports of a car at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets about 2pm.
He said the incident went for about five minutes all up.
“It is alleged the man got out on the roof car, asking for police to come and stop him,” he said.
“The vehicle has done a circle within the intersection, stalled the vehicle, drove down to intersection of Flinders and William streets, where he stopped, put his hazard lights on and police intercepted him.”
Supt Trimble said it was a “quick response” by police.
“We’ll work through what charges will be relevant,” he said.
Responding to the suggestion the incident was eerily similar to the Bourke St incident in 2017, police said they were “absolutely” concerned following the reports of an erratic car in the CBD.
“We were well prepared and we didn’t need to use that on this occasion,” Supt Trimble said.
Police earlier swarmed the major city intersection, sending officers into lockdown and halting trams.
The car was towed from the scene.
Eyewitness Campbell Jabs said he was stopped at the lights and witnessed a silver Mazda sedan sitting with his hazard lights on.
“His hazards lights were on and he was stopped at the intersection,” he said.
“There was about 6 police cars and about 3 grey response cars who jumped out, they had guns drawn.
“I was like ‘s--- this real.’ “It happened in a flash.
“He opens the guy out and drags him out, putting the cable tie around him.
“Then there were another six cops that jumped out.
“It was really serious.
“To have that many with guns drawn, it was really weird.
“It was a heavy response.
“It was so quick.”
Another witness Heba Teryaki, 24, said she saw the man stand up on the roof his car at the intersection of Flinders and Elizabeth streets.
“He was saying stuff, I don’t know what he was saying,” she said.
“He was yelling, it went for about five minutes.
“There were heaps of people watching.
“I followed him to get his number plates.
“I was really scared, frightened.”
Julian McCrann said he was having lunch in a nearby park about 2pm when he heard sirens.
“A whole bunch of police cars pulled up all of a sudden,” he said.
“He (the man) was in the car and then they pulled him out of the car and put him on the side of the road.
“It didn’t seem to last for that long — only a few minutes, really. I heard the police cars coming and then as I walked past they had him on the side of the road.”
Due to an incident at Flinders and Williams Streets, Melbourne. A number of streets have been closed and public transport will be affected. We are asking everyone to avoid the area. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/HkVlTZAazW
— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) February 5, 2020
Melbourne CBD: police have blocked the intersection of Flinders and William Streets off. A man has been arrested. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/rIVyFg7AYy
— Brianna Travers (@briannatravers) February 5, 2020
Mr McCrann said he did not see what led up to the arrest.
“I just heard the police cars and then I was walking back to work so I just took a short video,” he said.
“I couldn’t believe how many police cars there were.”
3.10pm update:
— Yarra Trams (@yarratrams) February 5, 2020
- Route 75 trams are diverting via La Trobe St & Spring St between Stop 9 Lansdowne St & Docklands.
- No Route 70 trams between Stop 6 Russell St & Docklands. (1/2)
