Barnawartha North police shooting: brothers arrested

WEDNESDAY

9.55pm

Two brothers camping on the Murray River have been shot by police after confronting officers with a knife and tomahawk.

The pair, 19 and 30, had been under the scrutiny of counter terrorism police who called for the help of Wodonga colleagues after finding the men at a Barnawartha North petrol station.

The duo later rammed a police car at Richardsons Bend camping ground before confronting the Wodonga officers

One brother was shot soon after leaving their car, while the other one was shot after negotiations, capsicum spray and a Taser hit failed to subdue him.

The pair both have serious injuries with one in hospital in Melbourne and the other in Albury.

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Acting Assistant Commissioner Clive Rust said the homicide squad and police professional standards were investigating.

"We're treating this as a violent attack on police members, not as a terrorism incident," Mr Rust said.

He said the brothers had recently moved to Victoria from NSW and intelligence was being gathered on them by the specialist police.

"They were attempting to locate and identify these two men who they knew to be up in the Barnawartha area, they were making routine inquiries in order to touch base with them, talk to them, assess them, and make a judgement on whether they posed any risk," Mr Rust said.

"It was purely a chance meeting that they identified their car at a service station."

Uniform police from the Wodonga district attempted to intercept the vehicle containing the two men on Old Barnawartha Road, near Richardsons Bend Camping Ground, about 3pm.

"The driver has rammed the police vehicle and both occupants have got out of the car armed with edged weapons," a police statement said.

"As police have approached the men, one of the occupants moved towards the officers and he was shot.

"Police attempted to negotiate with the second man who refused to put down his weapon.

"He has been sprayed with capsicum spray and tasered however neither had any effect and he was then shot.

"Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) detectives were in north-eastern Victoria gathering intelligence when they sought assistance from local police to locate two persons of interest.

"The CTC detectives were not in the area in relation to any planned direct threat to the Victorian community."

9.30pm

Victoria Police have confirmed the two men shot by police were brothers, aged 30 and 19, who recently moved from NSW to Victoria.

Counter terrorism police were trying to locate, identify and speak to the men.

The brothers were armed with a tomahawk and a knife.

Watch the full police conference below:

8pm

Police are investigating whether two men shot by officers near a campground near Barnawartha have links to terror.

It is understood the two men shot were known to police and were being followed. Both men sustained serious injuries. Three police officers were involved.

A person near the scene at Barnawartha North described a swarm of police around the township on Wednesday afternoon.

"I saw police cars and honestly they were going every way - they were going one way and then going the other way," the person said.

A source confirmed police were investigating if the two shot men were linked to a terror group or groups.

A police statement said: "The incident occurred following an attempted vehicle intercept on Old Barnawartha Road, near Richardsons Bend Camping Ground, about 3pm."

"The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting are still being established. There is no threat to the community."

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said the association was providing "any and all assistance required".

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6pm

Victoria Police have issued a statement saying that two men have been taken to hospital with serious injuries after being shot by police.

There was an attempted intercept by police on Old Barnawartha Road, near Richardsons Bend Camping Ground, about 3pm.

Victoria Police say the exact circumstances around the shooting are yet to be established.

5.10pm

Police have set up an exclusion zone at Richardsons Bend nature reserve following an incident at Barnawartha North on Wednesday afternoon.

There were reports multiple people had been shot.

A tent was set up at the reserve, which backs on to the Murray River near the NVLX saleyards.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said the investigation was ongoing.

4.30pm

Police have swarmed an area near a Barnawartha service station just off the Hume Freeway.

Victoria Police said they were on the scene of an ongoing incident following a call out just after 3pm near the Logic Centre.

They said there is no threat to the community.

Emergency services are were called to the incident on the corner of Old Barnawartha Road and Kings Road, Barnawartha North.

Ambulance Victoria has dispatched an air ambulance to the scene to assist with urgent patient care.

More to come.

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