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A shooting in a rural Australian town on Thursday left at least three people dead and one man injured, police said, with reports that the gunman was still at large.
NSW Police said three people died, including two women and a man, and another man was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition.
Residents of Lake Cageligo, a town of about 1,500 people west of Sydney, were urged to stay indoors and avoid the area where the shooting occurred.
Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said police had “identified an offender but he remains at large”.
“We are conducting a massive search in the area,” he told reporters.
The gunman, who had an active violence warrant (AVO) against them, fled the scene in a council-owned vehicle, local 7News reported. AVO prohibits anyone from threatening, intimidating, harassing, stalking, attacking or damaging the property of a person in need of protection.
this sydney morning herald A “gunman” armed with a long-armed weapon is believed to be hiding in the town, according to newspaper reports.
Emergency services were called to the area around 4.40pm local time after reports of a shooting. “The public is urged to avoid the area and local residents are asked to stay indoors,” NSW Police said.
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“A crime scene has been established and an investigation into the circumstances of the incident has begun,” they said in a statement.
A tactical operations force equipped with high-powered weapons is traveling from Sydney to contain the threat, local media reported.
Local resident Manisha, who did not want to give her last name, told Sydney TV daily telegraph There were police cars and ambulances “all over the city.”
“There are only two main streets in this town. We could hear” the sirens, she told the newspaper. Lake Cargelligo is located in the center of New South Wales, about 240 kilometers southwest of Dubbo.
according to SMHthe incident was treated as a suspected domestic violence attack rather than an act of terrorism.
A police spokesman reiterated to ABC that people in the town should stay indoors. “We will do our best.”
Holland said police arrived and found a dead man and woman inside the vehicle, and a second report of shots fired was received a short time later. “On arrival at the second scene, officers found another male and female suffering from gunshot wounds,” he said.
He added: “Any death in a rural town is something to confront, but equally the sight of people being shot with guns obviously makes people very, very nervous and very, very worried.
“I’m sure they will be looked after by the police and we will look after their welfare in the future. “I would say this is a tragedy that happened in a very small town and will have a big impact on the community.”
Barwon MP Roy Butler said in a social media post that he learned the tragic news shortly after getting off the plane. “This is a horrific situation and it’s still ongoing so we don’t have a lot of information. My heart goes out to the victim and their family,” he said.
The shooting came as Australia observed a national day of mourning for the 15 people shot dead on Sydney’s Bondi Beach during Hanukkah celebrations on December 14.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Thursday he was “deeply sorry” for failing to prevent the Bondi Beach mass shooting.
He told the families of the victims: “You came here to celebrate a holiday of light and freedom, but you left with the violence of hate. I am deeply sorry that we were unable to protect your loved ones from this evil.”
Australia passed a new law on Tuesday allowing for nationwide gun buybacks and tightening background checks on gun licenses in response to shootings.
New South Wales, which has the most guns in the country, has also passed laws limiting personal ownership to four guns and forcing license holders to become gun club members.