- A man and a woman were shot to death
- Another man is on the run, police say.
- Do you know more? Send an email to tips@dailymail.com
A dead woman who was found next to a dying man showed up at her home in the middle of the night armed with a gun, and police chased a second man who fled the scene.
Police were called to Parson St, Rye, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, shortly after 4am on Monday, following reports of a loud fight between a group of people at the property.
Officers discovered a man, 29, and a woman, in her 20s, with critical gunshot wounds inside the home. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, they died at the scene.
Police confirmed the 29-year-old man was the resident of the property, but say the woman has not yet been formally identified.
Crime Command Detective Superintendent Janet Stevenson said the fight broke out when the woman and the second man turned up at the dead man’s house about 4am.
It is understood the man or woman began hitting the 29-year-old with a baton before demanding he hand over some personal belongings found in the house.
It is understood the woman was fatally shot during a fight over a gun. The 29-year-old man was also shot shortly before the second man fled the scene.
Detective Superintendent Stevenson said police believe the three individuals knew each other and the incident was targeted.
Police and forensic teams are pictured on Parson St in Rye on Monday morning.
Detectives could be scouring the area for evidence while working the crime scene.
Forensic teams were seen removing bags of evidence from the house.
Asking the public for help, he said the second man, whom police have not yet identified, is believed to have left in a vehicle and may still be armed.
“We don’t know if there is still a firearm in circulation (and) we assume there was a hit-and-run car,” he told reporters Monday.
“We are trying to discover the identity of the man and are appealing to anyone who was in that area this morning and saw anything.
“If you have dashcam or CCTV footage please contact us or Crime Stoppers.”
Detective Superintendent Stevenson said police are yet to determine the nature of the dispute, but one line of inquiry was whether drugs were involved in the incident.
It is understood the 29-year-old man was the sole occupant of the house and a guest, who was hiding inside the property during the altercation, made the triple 0 call to police.
Detective Superintendent Stevenson said police are still investigating how many people were in the house at the time and where the gun involved in the shooting came from.
He said police knew the 29-year-old man but did not confirm the nature of those interactions.
Forensic officers are seen examining a car with a P plate that was parked outside the property.
A forensics officer could be seen recording video while a colleague marked the scene.
The double death has shocked local residents of Rye, a wealthy coastal suburb 98 kilometers south of Melbourne, known for its beaches.
Local residents told Daily Mail Australia on Monday that they heard nothing at the time of the incident.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.