A MAN and a woman have died in a shooting incident that sparked a stand-off with police in Victoria’s north.
Police had been trying to make contact with the pair in the Belle Avenue, Wangaratta property since around 1pm.
Two adults and six children left the property shortly after the shot was fired. None were injured and they are with police.
In a statement, police said they were investigating the double death but confirmed it was related to a “police incident” and involved firearms.
Emergency services were called to the property around 12.50pm after receiving reports a firearm had been discharged.
Officers entered the property around 5.10pm and located the deceased man and woman.
Police told the Border Mail a witness saw a man with a rifle and telescopic lens chasing a woman.
The pair, believed to be in a relationship, ran into a next door house, while their four primary school-aged children were able to escape to another neighbour’s property.
“We don’t believe there’s a gunman on the loose, we believed it’s contained to those properties,” Superintendent Paul O’Halloran told the paper.
In a statement police said, “Homicide Squad detectives are en-route and will assist local police with the investigation,” the statement said.
“Police are not searching for anyone else in relation to the incident.”
Dozens of police converged on the scene after the shot was fired at 12.50pm.
The area has been cordoned off and residents in Belle, Irwin and Garnet avenues and Appin St have been warned to stay in their homes.
One man with family in Belle Avenue said they had been unable to leave their house as police tried to resolve the situation.
“They (police) said `get back inside and lock your doors’,” the relative told theHerald Sun.
The man said there had never been signs of trouble at the property.
“They’re pretty good people,” he said.