Police shoot man after several people were slashed with glass on Melbourne bridge

Police have shot a man after several people were injured in a glass bottle attack on a Melbourne bridge.

A man has been shot by police after a glass attack on a Melbourne bridge.

Several people were injured by a man, believed to be mentally unwell, who attacked them with a glass bottle on Princes Bridge.

Police and protective serivce officers (PSOs) who responded to the incident were then approached by another man who confronted them with broken glass, the Herald Sun reports.

In a statement, Victoria Police said a PSO shot the second man after trying to deter him with pepper spray.

Victoria Police said: “Two PSOs have deployed OC spray which didn’t appear to have any affect.

A man has attacked bystanders on Melbourne’s Princes Bridge. Picture: Ian Currie

Several people have been injured, with victims treated at the scene. Picture: Ian Currie

“One PSO discharged his firearm, with the man being struck once.

“The incident is not terror related and there is no danger to the community.

“Armed Crime Squad detectives will investigate the incident which will be oversighted by Professional Standards Command, as per standard protocol when a firearm is discharged.”

Victims were left with cuts after the first man attacked them, but they were treated at the scene and did not need to go to hospital.

He was arrested at the scene.

Three ambulances, two police officers on horseback and several police attended the incident.

Newscorp reporter Sophie Elsworth said she sighted a woman sitting on a footpath with “blood on her body”.

“She looked very shaken up, she was near the Arts Centre and was being helped by a bystander,” she told the Herald Sun.

“As I approached Flinders St station a man was being held down by multiple police on the bridge with what looked like blood all over his hands that were behind his back which was frightening to see.”

VicTraffic said the road had been “closed to all traffic due to a police incident” in a statement on social media.

News.com.au has contacted Victoria Police.