Woman shot dead, man injured in police shooting at South Melbourne
A man has been charged as part of the investigation into last night’s police shooting in South Melbourne, which left a woman dead and another man wounded.
Victoria
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A man has been charged as part of the ongoing investigation into last night’s police shooting which left a woman dead and another man wounded.
Police were called to Cecil Street after reports of a man wielding a machete around 5pm.
While police were arresting the man, a white car was driven at the officer, pinning him against the wall.
The officer then opened fire on the car, firing four shots and killing a 34-year-old woman and injuring her 26-year-old male passenger.
The white car — a Ford Territory with South Australian plates which had been stolen — had been driving down the street before it struck the officer.
The man allegedly wielding the machete was wanted by police for unknown offences.
The officer suffered injuries to his legs.
A 39-year-old South Melbourne man was charged with possess a prohibited weapon and theft of bicycle.
He was bailed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on August 12.
Police said it was too early to say whether the man with the machete knew the woman driving the vehicle.
“Police located a male and while he was being arrested, a vehicle was driven at a police officer, striking them,” police said in a statement.
“The officer shot at the offending vehicle, striking a female driver and her male passenger.
“The 34-year-old female has died at the scene, while the 26-year-old male has been taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
“The male senior constable has been taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening-injuries.
“Homicide squad detectives will now investigate the matter with oversight from professional standards command, as is standard procedure for a fatal police shooting.”
Acting assistant commissioner of the southern metro region Terese Fitzgerald said it was another example of officers putting their lives on the line.
“This is the kind of incident that all of our members are at risk of all the time,” she added.
“This is not a great day for you at work when this occurs, so yes, it is terrifying.
“The police are trained to respond in a certain way and that’s what’s taken place.”
The woman was shot and killed in the driver’s seat of the car.
Ms Fitzgerald said it would have been a difficult choice to shoot moments after the officer was struck.
“It appears his response to this incident has been in line with his training and we will give him all the support he needs,” she added.
“Every day our police members get in the divisional van and respond to incidents … that’s the nature of the job.
“We are really grateful that his injuries are not more serious, it could have been far worse.”
Police Association of Victoria secretary Wayne Gatt said all members involved would receive the appropriate support.
“He acted accord(ance) to his training. That training may have saved his life,” he said late on Saturday.
“TPAV have despatched a team to provide professional and personal support to both officers involved and their colleagues.
“They will have all the support and assistance they require as they deal with the events this evening.”
Nearby resident Alan said there were a number of bangs before the woman’s body was found on the street.
“There was certainly a couple of loud bangs and then the police arrive on mass,” he said.
“There was one policeman up with his back to the wall and was getting some attention from other policeman.
“And there was certainly one person lying in the middle of the road getting chest compressions.
“There was obviously a lot of concern for that person.”
Asked on Sunday whether yet another machete-related incident meant the government should fast-track their knife ban, Labor MP Steve Dimopoulos said there were no plans to do so.
“The joint police say the machete ban can safely be implemented in September. That’s what the Victorian government will do. We’ll follow the police advice,” he said.
“But we are having a machete ban. We’ve committed to it. It will be implemented in September and will be the only one in Australia.”
He said the incident was “just the most distressing and awful situation” and his thoughts were with the hospitalised constable and the family of the woman who died.
Originally published as Woman shot dead, man injured in police shooting at South Melbourne
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