Details have emerged of the chaos and violence that hit Melbourne’s CBD on Friday night, with police insisting that shooting a man armed with a broken bottle was justified given the threat he posed to officers.
Victoria Police Traffic and Public Safety Command deputy commissioner Dean McWhirter, speaking on Saturday afternoon, said two separate incidents merged around Princes Bridge, near Flinders St station, at around 5: 30 p.m.
At the time, a 27-year-old man on a tram allegedly attempted to rob a male and female passenger before exiting over the iconic CBD bridge.
The South Melbourne man then allegedly attacked four people with a bottle after getting off the tram: a 67-year-old Warneet man, a 56-year-old Collingwood woman, a 24-year-old Kennington woman and a 46-year-old man. . Hoppers Crossing woman, and she took all four to the hospital with injuries including lacerations and bruises.
Police justified shooting a man on Melbourne’s Princes Bridge on Friday by saying he posed a threat to officers (pictured, scene of incident with emergency crews)
Two separate incidents merged around Princes Bridge, near Flinders Street station, with officers and emergency crews remaining at the scene (pictured) well into the night.
Police and protective service officers arrested the man and established the crime scene, Deputy Commissioner McWhirter said, before a second alleged offender, a 20-year-old Pakenham man, approached a PSO about 7pm.
The young man allegedly told the officer he was going to “hurt him” and the officer alerted a fellow PSO about the threat.
Deputy Commissioner McWhirter said the man was wearing a hoodie and had his hands in his pockets and when he showed them, he revealed a broken bottle.
Officers used OC spray on the young man, but it didn’t work because the man’s hoodie was protecting his face, Deputy Commissioner McWhirter said.
The man then chased one of the PSOs for 20 meters before one of them pulled out his firearm and fired two shots at the man, hitting him in the stomach, in what police called a justified response to an urgent threat. .
“It’s clear that a member was going to be hurt,” Deputy Commissioner McWhirter said.
He said the situation had “evolved very quickly” and “measures had to be taken to avoid serious injuries.”
Deputy Commissioner Dean McWhirter said officers (pictured) had to take action as the situation “evolved very quickly”.
Victorian paramedics, who were still at the scene of the previous incident, took the man to Alfred Hospital where he will undergo surgery on Saturday night and will remain in hospital for several days.
The man has non-life-threatening injuries and is expected to recover from his injury.
Police have confirmed that two officers drew their firearms, but only one fired.
“Members are dealing with the situation well,” Deputy Commissioner McWhirter said.
“It’s a traumatic situation for anyone.”
Several victims were injured when, in another incident, a man allegedly attacked four people, while another man allegedly threatened to harm a PSO with a glass bottle (pictured, investigators and police officers at the scene at Princes Bridge on Friday night).
Police said they had “no knowledge” of the man and that he had no criminal record.
The officers’ response and their decision-making process will be investigated by Crime Command.
“Overall, Melbourne is a very safe city,” Deputy Commissioner McWhirter said.
“This is just an unfortunate incident.”