“I know this will be a very difficult time for them. No one comes to work wanting to be involved in a critical incident,” he said.
Shortly after the shooting was reported, police stressed that the incident was unrelated to the shooting of kickboxer and former Mongolian motorcyclist Suleiman “Sam” Abdulrahim as he was leaving a funeral in the northern suburbs of Melbourne. of the week. Abdulrahim is in Royal Melbourne Hospital being treated for bullet wounds to the chest.
Thomas Johnstone, who was walking through the Lake Coburg Reservation when the shooting occurred, told The Age that he heard two clear shots, followed by a pause and then three or four more shots.
“I think it was a couple [of shots] and then it was a bit of a break before the rest, “he said.” Most were a lot of cops moving … a very hectic scenario. “
Another witness who did not want to be named told The Age that officers had driven down the street in a Kia police vehicle before firing at the man, who was in a silver Ford Territory.
The 3AW listener, “Jilda,” told the radio station she was driving toward Reservoir when she saw seven police cars speeding down Newlands Road toward the reservation. “I just counted seven police cars,” he said. “They were stopping for nothing, flying down Newlands Road.”
Newlands Road was closed in both directions near Murray Road on Monday evening as police examined the scene.
Police said the incident would be investigated by detectives from the armed crime squad and the Professional Standards Command, in accordance with the normal procedure when a police firearm is fired.
The investigation will examine whether officers involved were wearing pepper spray or Taser at the time of the shooting.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or to send a confidential report to crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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