Two police officers have been shot dead at a rural property in northeast Victoria with the armed suspect reportedly taking his family hostage.
The incident happened when police were executing a search warrant for a firearms prohibition order at an address on Rayner Track in Porepunkah, near Bright, on Tuesday morning.
Porepunkah is a town in northeast Victoria, Australia on the Great Alpine Road, at the foot of Mount Buffalo 320 kilometres northeast of the state capital, Melbourne.
It is understood the officers were searching an abandoned bus at the property when they were shot at by a man.
Two officers were killed while a third was shot in the leg and critically injured.
The alleged gunman has reportedly taken his wife and at least two children into the bush near his home and is holding them hostage.
It is believed he is armed with at least one of the police officer’s firearms.
Special Operations Group officers are heading to the scene and police choppers are circling the area.
Porepunkah Primary School has been placed into lockdown.
“This is still an active incident and we will provide more information when it’s operationally safe to do so,” Victoria Police said.
