Vic: Man questioned over gun fight with police

AAP General News (Australia)
02-13-2006
Vic: Man questioned over gun fight with police

MELBOURNE, Feb 13 AAP - A policeman has been shot in a gun fight with a man thought
to have earlier crashed a car into a house in Melbourne's north-west.

The male officer, a senior constable in his 30s from Melton police station, suffered
a superficial leg wound in the incident about 10.20pm (AEDT) yesterday, police said.

The officer and his partner, also in his 30s, had been called to a report of a car
crashing into the front of a house in Meade Way, Sydenham.

Armed offenders squad Detective Inspector Bernie Rankin said the police had stopped
to question a man nearby when he fired on them.

"There was an incident where a number of shots were fired at police," he told reporters today.

"Police returned fire. One of the police officers who attended the incident received
a, thankfully, rather light wound to his leg."

Det Insp Rankin said the officers were lucky not to have been more seriously wounded.

"There were a number of shots fired at them and it was at reasonably close range, so
they're two extremely fortunate young men," he said.

"It was certainly a rather desperate act by a person who obviously has little regard
for human life."

The injured policeman was taken to Sunshine Hospital in a stable condition.

Det Insp Rankin said a man was arrested a short distance away following a search that
included members of the elite special operations group, the dog squad and a police helicopter.

He said police were still questioning the man and had not yet established if he was
connected with the shooting.

He would not comment on reports there was a large amount of cash in the car at the
time it crashed.

Police have not found the offender's weapon nor determined how many shots were fired
by the man and the two officers.

Both officers will receive counselling.

Detectives are seeking witnesses who saw a 2004 silver Hyundai Getz hatchback being
driven at high speed along Dundee Way shortly before it crossed the t-intersection at
Meade Way and crashed into the house.

AAP jrd/ce/rj/de

KEYWORD: SHOOTING LEAD

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