An alleged domestic dispute between a stepfather and his stepson has ended with one dead and another fighting for his life after being shot by police.
Police were called to Chris Court’s home in Hillside, west of Melbourne, about 6.50am on Friday following reports a man had been stabbed.
A 61-year-old man was found in the front yard of the home with serious injuries when police arrived at the scene.
Officers said they then heard a scream from inside the home, where they were allegedly confronted by a man with a knife, who advanced on them after failed negotiations. 9News reported.
Police fired several shots, both inside the house and in the street, hitting the man in the lower part of the body.
The man, aged in his 30s, was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital under police guard and remains in a critical but stable condition with injuries to his lower body.
It is understood that a very pregnant woman, believed to be the sister of the man shot by police, called triple zero when she turned up unannounced at the house and an altercation broke out between the two men.
Police shot one man moments after another died at a home on Chris Court in Hillside around 6:50 a.m. Friday. Reports from the scene said the men were her stepson and stepfather.
Police gather at the tragic Hillside scene on Friday.
The pregnant woman, 27 years old, was taken to the hospital for observation as a precaution.
Officers attempted to perform CPR on the 61-year-old man, but he died at the scene.
Police allege they were then confronted by the young man with a knife.
Despite attempts at negotiation, the man ran off and allegedly stabbed the tire of a police car and “advanced toward one of the officers.” The age reported.
On Friday afternoon, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas told reporters that police were not looking for any other suspects in connection with the tragedy.
“We believe all parties knew each other and we are treating this as a family violence incident,” he said.
Thomas said the stepson did not live at the Hillside property and “showed up unannounced” on Friday morning.
Police remained at the scene throughout Friday.
Journalists gathered at the crime scene where Inspector Thomas addressed them.
Inspector Thomas said he had seen the officers’ body camera footage and was satisfied the officers had “done everything they could” to calm the situation.
Relatives of the deceased told reporters at the scene that the incident had been the result of a tragic domestic dispute.
Homicide squad detectives remain at the scene, which has been cordoned off, while they canvass the area for clues.
Police have urged anyone with information to come forward.
More to come.
