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Two officers killed, one wounded in shooting
Benita Kolovos
Three sources have confirmed to Guardian Australia that two officers have been killed and another wounded in the shooting at Porepunkah.
None were authorised to comment on the incident and only one had been directly briefed on the incident by police.
Victoria police has declined to comment on the “active” incident” until it is operationally safe to do so.
Key events
What Porepunkah and the Alpine region are like
At this time of year, Victoria’s High Country is usually home to keen holidaymakers visiting the region for official snow season in resort towns like Falls Creek, Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain.
Bright, less than 10km from Porepunkah, is a regular stop for tourists, famous for its cycling routes, breweries and boutique stores.
Despite its small size, Porepunkah also picks up its share of tourism, part of the Murray to Mountains rail trail and featuring a number of cellar doors, produce and picnic options, as well as providing an easy entry point to the ski town of Mount Buffalo.
But it’s a different scene today, with dozens of officers amblocking on the region from Wangaratta and Wodonga.
The site of the incident is close to a number of caravan parks, motels and accommodation options, as well as the popular Porepunkah Pub.
Students at Porepunkah Primary School being distracted with movies and coding, principal says
Porepunkah Primary School is still in lockdown as the end of the school day approaches, its principal has confirmed.
Speaking on ABC Melbourne radio, Jill Gillies said about 90 students were being distracted with movies, coding and touch typing.
Teachers are absolute superstars and I have the best bunch of staff, they’ve had the kids in lockdown since around 11.30 this morning, they are masters at being able to be creative to find fun things to engage the kids and distract.
Our teachers are amazing and the kids are super resilient.
Gillies said the school was awaiting direction from the police over the length of the lockdown but children would be able to remain overnight if needed.
We have food and access to toilets and comfort items … let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.
We have to wait direction from the police, we’re really unsure at this stage. I just keep letting our parents know that we’re still in lockdown and I’ll keep them informed as we get closer to [the school day ending].
Benita Kolovos
‘We stand with you’: Victorian opposition leader pays tribute to emergency services
The opposition leader, Brad Battin, has also made a statement to parliament. He says his thoughts are with all Victorian emergency services across the state:
We know with an active situation up there, it’s not just the emergency services, it’s the local community that is impacted. We hear of lockdowns in schools.
We send out our thoughts to the families, the parents and everyone involved with those schools as well … We hope there is a quick resolution and more information comes out as soon as possible, but to every single Victoria police officer today, we stand with you, we stand beside you and we’ll continue to.
Victorian premier says ‘situation remains active’ and praises bravery of police
Benita Kolovos
Victoria’s premier, Jacinta Allan, is beginning parliament’s question time with a brief statement on the Porepunkah shooting. She says:
A police operation is currently under way in Porepunkah in Victoria’s north-east. The police minister and I have been briefed by the chief commissioner of the Victoria police and this situation remains active.
Victoria police officers and all of our first responders show extraordinary bravery and courage every single day. They are the best of us.
I do ask the Victorian community, particularly those in that beautiful part of the north-east of our state, to follow the advice of Victoria police. More information will be provided by Victoria police to the Victorian community as it becomes available.
It’s worth noting Allan has changed into a black suit – she was previously dressed in red at a press conference this morning.
Australian Federal Police Association stands ready to support Victorian officers
The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) has separately confirmed that one officer has been wounded and two others are believed, but not confirmed, to be deceased after police executed a warrant at a rural property in Porepunkah.
This is an active and unfolding situation, with emergency services working tirelessly to secure the area and keep the community safe.
Its president, Alex Caruana, said the blockociation and its 4,000-plus members stood in solidarity with its Victorian counterparts.
Our members across the country are thinking of Victoria Police and their families today.
Policing is dangerous and unpredictable work, and what has happened in Porepunkah is a reminder of the risks officers face every day in keeping the community safe.
The AFPA is ready to support The Police Association Victoria (TPAV) and stands prepared if required. We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our TPAV and Victoria Police colleagues and their loved ones as more details emerge.
Victoria’s premier says the state’s thoughts are with the police force, situation remains active
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, says the thoughts of “all Victorians” are with Victoria police in her first public statement on the incident.
Posting to X, Allan urged the community to follow the advice of Victoria police and avoid the area:
A police operation is currently underway in Porepunkah, in Victoria’s Northeast. I have been briefed by the Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police.
This situation remains active. Victoria Police officers, and all our first responders, show extraordinary bravery and courage every single day. They are the best of us – and the thoughts of all Victorians are with them today. Please follow the advice of Victoria Police and avoid the area.
More information will be provided as it becomes available.
Two officers killed, one wounded in shooting
Benita Kolovos
Three sources have confirmed to Guardian Australia that two officers have been killed and another wounded in the shooting at Porepunkah.
None were authorised to comment on the incident and only one had been directly briefed on the incident by police.
Victoria police has declined to comment on the “active” incident” until it is operationally safe to do so.
Dozens of police officers in vicinity of incident, ABC reports
The Police Association Victoria has released a statement noting it is aware of a “critical incident” that has unfolded in the northeastern part of the state which is impacting its members.
We have sent critical incident support teams to the area to blockist and support the impacted members, their families and colleagues.
It comes as the ABC is reporting a strong police presence of around 50 officers in uniform and plain clothes in the vicinity of the incident.
An ABC reporter in the area told the public broadcaster’s news channel that in the past 10 minutes, a large contingent of officer took off on the road behind them. A dog from a police squad has also been released into a nearby paddock.
Media have been directed to a cordoned off area as the situation continues to unfold, the reporter said:
When I did speak to police earlier, they did indicate that the heavy police presence had come from across the region, as you can imagine, to help out with this unfolding incident. We’re still seeing police cars coming in from the direction of Wodonga and Wangaratta as I’m speaking to you. I followed police cars the whole way from Wodonga.
The HM5 air ambulance has just taken off again and is heading back to Melbourne, while a police chopper is also on the move.
Wangaratta police have confirmed there is still an “active incident” ongoing and are continuing to urge people to avoid the area.
In a statement published to its social media page a moment ago, the local police service said Victoria police “continues to respond to an incident at a property in Porepunkah”.
This is still an active incident and we will provide more information when it’s operationally safe to do so.
We ask people avoid the area.
Local council closes all public facilities in Alpine region
The Alpine shire council has closed all council facilities “effective immediately” as a result of the unfolding incident.
In a statement, the council, which covers an area of 4,788 sq km including Bright, Dinner Plain, Mount Beauty, Myrtleford and Porepunkah, said the closures included all transfer stations, libraries, visitor information centres and depots across the shire, as well as the Bright sports centre.
Tonight’s Ordinary Council Meeting has also been postponed, and will be rescheduled for two weeks’ time. Further details will be provided at a later date.
We thank you for your patience and understanding.
We’ll update the community when our services resume.
‘Grave concerns’ for officers involved in reported shooting, AFP commissioner says
Circling back to the press conference, the Australian federal police commissioner, Reece Kershaw, said there were “grave concerns” for some of the police officers involved in the incident.
Just from the police blue family, the wider family across Australia and overseas, our thoughts and prayers are with Victoria police right now.
And we hope that they are all safe and well, however, we’re hearing there are some grave concerns for some of those police officers and our hearts go out to the community. Thank you, PM, for your kind words.
Air ambulance and police aircraft heading to Porepunkah, flight radar shows
According to the flight radar, a HM5 air ambulance is coming in to land in the area of Porepunkah now.
Another chopper in the region appears to be a police aircraft heading straight to the township.
Albanese says ‘thoughts are with’ police as incident unfolds
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is addressing the media now from Parliament House. He began his press conference expressing concern for police officers involved in the incident.
Our thoughts are with the police for the work they do, each and every day. The men and women who wear … the uniform of the police take risks each and every day.
The Victorian police commissioner will be providing updates during the afternoon as more facts that are able to be released become clear.
Benita Kolovos
Victoria’s opposition leader sends thanks to state’s police officers
The Victorian opposition leader, Brad Battin, says his thoughts are with the police community following reports an officer has been injured in Porepunkah.
Speaking at parliament, he told reporters:
We’re seeing news, tragic news is happening up in the north of Victoria, and we want to send our thoughts and our strength out to Victoria police members who are hearing some of the news coming through at the moment, we know that when Victoria police members get out of bed every day and go to work, they go to work with risk …
Events like this will impact each and every police officer across Victoria and across Australia, but will also put a mblockive impact on the families who are at the moment hearing the news come out that is currently happening.
Each and every day, Victoria police members go out in the face of danger. Each and every day they know the risks, and today, we want to send out our thanks to all of them, but more importantly, our thoughts to everyone as events unfold up in the north.
The township of Porepunkah is around 300km north-east of Melbourne.
It is less than 10km from the popular tourist destination of Bright, in Victoria’s alpine region.
Police issue statement over ‘active and ongoing incident’
Here is the statement from Victoria police into what they are describing as an “active and ongoing incident”.
Police are currently at a property in Porepunkah … We will provide more information when it’s operationally safe to do so. We ask people avoid the area.
This is an active and ongoing incident which may present significant risk to members of the public. We are asking that you do not attend the scene at this time.
Porepunkah primary school in lockdown after reports of shooting
According to the ABC, locals have been reporting a large amount of police cars in the vicinity of the incident, which is less than 1km from Porepunkah Primary School.
The school, attended by about 100 students, is currently in lockdown, the ABC reports.
Its principal, Jill Gillies, appeared on ABC radio Melbourne a short time ago to blockure listeners the school community was safe.
She said the school went into pre-emptive lockdown about 11.30am.
We were told that there was a situation unfolding so for the safety of the kids and to keep everything nice and calm we went into lockdown.
[The kids] are fantastic, we do drills all the time, we have an emergency management plan which we enacted, we got into the clblockrooms really quickly, drew down our blinds, locked doors and made sure everyone was accounted for.
Gillies said teachers had made sure all students were doing something “really fun” to keep them distracted.
I know it’s a worry to everyone but I just want to blockure everyone that we’re all safe and calm.
According to the latest census, the small township of Porepunkah is home to about 1,000 people.
Police attending ‘active incident’ at Porepunkah in rural Victoria
Police are attending an “active incident” at a rural property in Victoria, after media reports an officer had been injured in a shooting.
Officers attended a property at Porepunkah, in the state’s Alpine region, about 300km north-east of Melbourne on Tuesday morning to serve a warrant, The Age reported.
One officer was shot in the thigh and two were unaccounted for, the report said.
In a statement, Victoria police would not confirm those details but did say that officers were at a property in Porepunkah:
This is still an active incident and we will provide more information when it’s operationally safe to do so.
