A police officer has been shot and two others are missing after a shooting at a rural property in Porepunkah, about 300 kilometres north-east of Melbourne.
It is understood one officer was shot in the thigh while serving a warrant at the property on Tuesday morning and two officers are unaccounted for.
A police spokesperson stated: ‘Police are currently at a property in Porepunkah.
‘This is still an active incident and we will provide more information when it’s operationally safe to do so.
‘We ask people avoid the area.’
Two officers are unaccounted for.
Heavily armed officers from the Special Operations Group are rushing to the scene near the base of Mount Buffalo in Victoria’s alpine region.
The shootings are understood to have happened at a remote farming property owned by a couple in their 50s with two daughters.
Locals say the shooting occurred near Mount Buffalo Caravan Park.
About 30 police cars have swarmed the area and are searching the caravan park.
Campers in tents have been shifted to secure cabins and police have advised people not to leave keys in their cars.
Emily, whose mum owns Mt Buffalo Caravan Park, spoke to the Daily Mail from her family’s locked down caravan park.
‘We’re all ok but a bit rattled, stuff like this doesn’t happen here,’ she said.
Locals reported multiple police cars and an ambulance speeding towards Bright with lights and sirens on about 11.30am this morning, it was reported.
Porepunkah residents have also been told to stay indoors while the police operation unfolds.
Children at Porepunkah Primary School are in lockdown.
Jill Gillies, the school’s principal, told ABC radio ‘we’re all safe and calm and having the best time we possibly can under the circumstances’.
‘[The children] are fantastic, we do drills all the time, we have an emergency management plan which we enacted, we got into the classrooms really quickly, drew down our blinds, locked doors and made sure everyone was accounted for,’ Ms Gillies told the ABC.
Ms Gillies said teachers had made sure all students were doing something ‘really fun’ to keep them distracted.
‘I know it’s a worry to everyone but I just want to assure everyone that we’re all safe and calm,’ she said.
It is understood the suspected gunman fled the scene.
Police have directed all media covering the unfolding event to Wangaratta Police Station.
‘This is an active and ongoing incident which may present significant risk to members of the public. We are asking that you do not attend the scene at this time,’ the spokesperson said.
More to come.