Six people, including two police officers in their 20s, were killed in a shootout in the Australian state of Queensland, police said on Tuesday.
Specifically, police were called to investigate reports of missing persons at a tree-lined zinc-roofed bungalow property in the small town of Viambela just after lunch on Monday.
“As soon as the police entered the area, they were on fire and they didn’t stand a chance,” said Ian Leavers, head of the Queensland Police Union.
“Two police officers were executed in cold blood,” he added.
The dead have been identified as 26-year-old Rachel Macro and 29-year-old Matthew Arnold, both of whom were police officers who had just begun their careers.
“These officers made every sacrifice to keep our community safe,” Queensland Police Chief Katharina Carroll said as she wept as she briefed the public on the “extremely traumatic” events.
Police said a bystander was also shot dead and “was pronounced dead at the scene.”
After the initial shooting, a specialized team, with police air support, left for the scene, as by 10:30 p.m. local time, two men and a woman were also dead.
Source: AFP