- Officers negotiating with armed man
- Child rescued by specialist officers
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An armed man has been arrested after he allegedly fired at police with a shotgun before holding a man and a baby hostage in Melbourne’s west.
At least eight police vehicles were seen racing to the Weir Views housing estate near Melton shortly after 4pm on Tuesday.
A man, 26, allegedly fired shots at police before barricading inside a home on Leon Drive where he allegedly held at least two residents hostage for some time.
Television helicopter footage captured the dramatic moment the young child was rescued from the home and placed into a police officer’s arms.
A man was seen escaped from the home a short time later.
Police snipers from the Special Operations Group were spotted standing on a nearby roof as specialist officers negotiated with the armed offender, who has since been arrested.
A shirtless man was seen handcuffed outside the front of the home surrounded by heavily armed officers while being treated by paramedics shortly before 6.30pm.
Police sources told the Herald Sun that the man allegedly committed a carjacking in Ballarat before driving 84km to Weir Views armed with a shotgun.
A young child was seen in the arms of specialist police officers after allegedly being held hostage
The armed offender (pictured) was arrested by police shortly after 6.30pm
Police snipers were spotted standing on a neighbour’s roof in Weir Views in Melbourne’s west
Dozens of police swarmed Leon Drive in Weir Views shortly after 4pm
A man fired shots at police before entering a home in Leon Drive. Pictured are police at the scene
Police have blocked a street in Weir Views as officers negotiate with an armed man
There are no reports of injuries, according to Victoria Police.
‘The area surrounding has been cordoned off while the incident is underway,’ an earlier statement read.
‘Due to operational reasons, we will not be in a position to provide a running commentary and will provide further information when it becomes available.
The vicinity was swarming with police.
Images from a news helicopter show two armed personnel, wearing green fatigues, on a roof facing a neighbouring home.
The home they are focusing on has a pink children’s bike leaning on the outside wall.
Residents in the vicinity of Leon Drive were ordered by police to remain inside until further notice.
Police say no one was injured during the initial incident where a man fired at police
Residents in the vicinity have been urged to remain indoors
One local told NCA Newswire that police were ‘everywhere’ in the surrounding streets, including armed officers.
Besides being told he could not leave his house, the resident said police had shared no information about what was happening.
Local traffic was allowed back in the street shortly before 7pm as police escorted residents to their homes.
Amanda McGregor was picking up her toddler from daycare when she returned to unfolding hostage incident next door.
‘I think they have jumped my fence to get to the next door, my neighbour also said she saw a lot of commotion at the front of the property at first,’ she told the Herald Sun.
She described her next door neighbour as ‘lovely’.
‘I don’t know how they have physically got into his house to keep him and his baby hostage,’ she said.
‘Thank God his wife wasn’t there.
‘He would probably have been resting because he works at 3am in the mornings.’
Officers from the critical incident response team are also on scene
Leon Drive remains cordoned off as police urge residents to remain indoors
