Porepunkah shooting: Two officers dead and another wounded after shooting at High Country property, Victoria, Australia

[MrJ]

Key Event
1m ago

Premier declines to comment on sovereign citizen reports​

By Maddy Morwood​

Jacinta Allan declines to comment on reports that the suspected gunman identified as a sovereign citizen so as not to "cut across" police work.

"But I'll just say this very simply," she tells ABC News Breakfast.

"The law applies to everyone. It doesn't matter who you are; the law applies to everyone.

"And what happened yesterday was a tragedy, but also it was a hideous crime that was perpetrated on those who go to work every day to keep us safe."

Police name slain officers as teams search for suspected gunman — as it happened

A massive search continues for a Porepunkah man who allegedly shot and killed two police officers at his property in rural Victoria.

www.abc.net.au

 

[MrJ]

1m ago

SES volunteers providing support to police​

By Kellie Lazzaro​

Bright SES deputy controller Marcus Warner told ABC Goulburn Murray that four local SES units of volunteers are assisting police.

“As we wake up this morning to the sunrise over Mount Buffalo, it’s tinged with a huge degree of sadness for the community this morning.”

“Obviously we are a very tight- knit community and I anticipate them coming together over the next days and weeks as we hopefully recover from this tragic event.”

He added that extra local SES volunteers were also called out when trees fell during a violent storm swept that through the area last night.

(ABC News: Marcus Warner)

Live: Porepunkah residents remain in lockdown as search for alleged gunman continues

A massive search continues for a Porepunkah man who allegedly shot and killed two police officers at his property in rural Victoria. Follow live.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drsleuth]

24m ago07.53 AEST
Porepunkah primary school to remain closed today

The local primary school in Porepunkah will not open today on the advice of Victoria Police, Allan said earlier:

The advice is that the request for the community to continue to remain indoors. The advice I have is the school, the primary school will not be open today as well. And this is all based on the advice of Victoria Police and I urge everyone in the community to follow that advice.

12m ago23.04 BST
Andrew Hastie says society has seen a ‘breakdown in trust’ in governments since pandemic

Shadow home affairs minister Andrew Hastie was asked on RN Breakfast about the concern surrounding fringe ideologies spreading through society. He said those ideas spark a real concern:

I think since Covid, we’ve seen a breakdown in trust for governments, whether it be state or national governments. And so we have to work extra hard to win the trust of those we represent.


There is no excuse ever for violence in this country, particularly of the sort that we saw yesterday, which claimed the lives of two police officers. …


I think social cohesion is more frayed than ever. There’s more misinformation and disinformation out there. A lot of people went down the rabbit hole during Covid and they never came back up.

5m ago08.11 AEST
Home affairs minister Tony Burke said this morning that both the Australian Federal Police and Asio are assisting with the investigation in Porepunkah.

Loud bangs heard near rural Australian property as suspect remains on run – as it happened

All the days news as it unfolded

www.theguardian.com

 

[MrJ]

the thing is as much as I want govt to do more about these sovereign citizen types that will only embolden their persecution complex. Sigh it’s not easy either as there’s no leader or hierarchical structure in the movement just echo chambers of similarly-minded individuals

 

[drsleuth]

3m ago08.28 AEST
Victoria police are set to hold a media conference on the latest information out of Porepunkah in a few minutes, at 8.30am. We’ll carry the latest updates as they come through.

Loud bangs heard near rural Australian property as suspect remains on run – as it happened

All the days news as it unfolded

www.theguardian.com

 

[drsleuth]

 

[SouthAussie]

"We will endeavour to share the names of the officers later today, but some may have relatives who are overseas and we need to make sure they have the support they need" (or words to that effect)

(from the presser)

 

[MrJ]

Still at large (from presser)

 

[SouthAussie]

About the partner and children ....

"We understand where they were ... and we invited them to show at a police station so we could verify they were safe"
(or words to that effect)

From the presser

 

[SouthAussie]

They have thermal imaging and "all of those assets" in place. But there have been no confirmed sightings.

Two things going on. One is the investigation at the property. The other is the search for the offender.

Not going to go into the talk of sex abuse as there are victims.

They don't know where he is, if he can monitor media, so the police are not going to put too much out into the media.

Our understanding is that he understands bushcraft well, which presents a challenge.

(Paraphrased from the presser)

 

[SouthAussie]

Injured officer is out of surgery, significantly damaged, but will survive. Police chief is going to visit him today.

NSW Police are on standby. They will deploy if there is any indication he has crossed the state border.

(Paraphrased from the presser)

 

[Monstradamus]

Bad storm last night in the area, I'm guessing that hindered the search and the use of helicopters.

 

[SouthAussie]

Bad storm last night in the area, I'm guessing that hindered the search and the use of helicopters.

During the presser, the police chief was asked if the bad weather was a hindrance. His response was that when their fellow officers have been killed, they don't even notice the conditions. They are focused.

I know that doesn't address the points in your post, but it was a response from the chief that I feel is worth repeating.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

One of the earlier Age artcles did say he had bush survival skills.

 

[drsleuth]

Does anyone know if there would be mobile reception in the bush where he escaped?

I agree with Chief commissioner Bush about limiting what is released to the media.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

If he did take police weapons, I was wondering if he took anything else from them, like communicatons devices,

 

[MrJ]

It's likely he did

 

[Deleted member 367982]

I don't understand how the family disappeared for the day and turned themselves in to a police station last night.
Wouldn't you think with the area swarming with police and people looking out for them that they would have been spotted before they got to a police station.
If the could do that then maybe Dezi drove off in a car and isn't hiding in the bush at all.

 

[Deleted member 367982]

If he did take police weapons, I was wondering if he took anything else from them, like communicatons devices,

I think he took a police radio with him from one of the dead officers.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Wouldn't you think with the area swarming with police and people looking out for them that they would have been spotted before they got to a police station.

According to the presser, the family was asked to present at a police station in person to confirm that they were ok.