Gunman on the loose near the MCG

[RG]

Just came across this http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vic...-1225882177753

UPDATE 11am: A MANHUNT is underway for a gunman in the Melbourne Park sports precinct after he reportedly shot at police and led them on a high-speed chase.

Heavily armed police have swooped on Melbourne's sports precinct, which is in lockdown during the hunt for the gunman.

The man, of Spanish appearance and in his mid-20s, is believed to be armed with a shotgun and witnesses say that he has been spotted in the area around Melbourne's sports precinct

The hunt follows a dramatic high-speed pursuit on the Monash Freeway through several suburbs this morning.

Police have just released a description of the man who is described as in his mid-20s, of Spanish appearance, with straight dark hair, wearing a dark jacket with red or orange t-shirt underneath and silver tracksuit pants.

He is considered highly dangerous and authorities have warned people not to approach the man.

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Police have warned the public to stay away from the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Olympic Park precinct as heavily-armed police wearing bullet-proof vests were seen entering the sports precinct.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground and the Rod Laver Arena have been closed.

Several roads are closed to traffic and pedestrians on Olympic Boulevard, Batman Avenue, Punt Road, Wellington Parade and Brunton Avenue.

The Rod Laver Bridge has also been closed to pedestrian traffic.

Members of the public are strongly urged to stay well clear of the area, while hundreds of workers have been forced to stay inside in the area.

Metro has suspended all train services between Richmond Station and Flinders Street Station, triggering major delays with some trains on the City Loop stopped.

Trams have also been affected.

It is understood that the drama began when shots were fired at police near Nunawading triggering the police chase along the Monash Freeway.

The gunman may have then escaped at Punt Rd, possibly driving a blue Holden Commodore.

Witnesses saw as many as five police cars weaving across several lanes of inbound traffic this morning about 9.30am as they pursued another car.

While details remain sketchy, witnesses says a police car was left smashed up, possibly after hitting a median barrier.

At least four unmarked cars and at least one marked car are believed to be involved in the pursuit, which raced along the Monash Freeway and CityLink into the city.

Some witnesses believe that during the incident one car deliberately rammed a police car, which in turn collided with a BMW 4WD on the busy freeway.

Caller Peter told Radio 3AW that a police car was left “pretty smashed up” just before the Domain Tunnel, while the BMW was left damaged near St Kevin’s College.

Another witness told the station he watched as a “blue Commodore took out a police car, which then took out the BMW X5”.

It appears remaining police cars continued to tail a white van as it continued weaving erratically into the Domain Tunnel.

“The car has taken off with about four or five unmarked and one marked police car chasing him coming into the tunnel, and going into the West Gate. Police everywhere,” caller Danny said.

Had the Police going up and down Flinders St out the front of my building for a bit now.

Hopefully they catch him soon, I'm going for a run up that way in half an hour and getting shot at would slow me down significantly.

[Bullyz_XR6T]

shades of that Mad Max guy which was on the police under fire on TV the other week

[LTDHO]

Meh, AFL supporters!

[RG]

Originally Posted by LTDHO

Meh, AFL supporters!

Gunman is described as being os Spanish appearance.

Soccer fan angry with World Cup defeat?

[pottery beige]

Originally Posted by RG

Soccer fan angry with World Cup defeat?

wanna be actor... ****ed he didnt get a go in the next underbelly....

[prydey]

Originally Posted by RG

, I'm going for a run up that way in half an hour and getting shot at would slow me down significantly.

on the upside, the threat or danger of being shot should get the adrenalin flowing for you!!

be funny watching you run along and have a car backfire close by....

[Bullyz_XR6T]

cant wait till they catch him haha YOUR RESISITING ARREST WHACK PISTOL WHIPPED

[flappist]

This is not possible....guns are banned.

[charles_wif_xf]

I must have just missed it as I was heading into work at that time on the Monash.

[SteveJH]

Originally Posted by flappist

This is not possible....guns are banned.

They are?

[RG]

Just got back.

A whole lot of hoopla over nothing. I ran along the Yarra all the way up to the Anderson St bridge and didn't see a single cop, chopper, anything.

[KITBAG]

If you wear the following and then run around.........

((Police have just released a description of the man who is described as in his mid-20s, of Spanish appearance, with straight dark hair, wearing a dark jacket with red or orange t-shirt underneath and silver tracksuit pants.))

Them you would of see heaps off them.

[Fled74]

Originally Posted by flappist

This is not possible....guns are banned.

Yep, everyone knows guns are illegal, therefore it would be impossible for a psycho like that to get his hands on one. Also, the government is always right.

Seriously though, I hope they catch the guy.

[Professor Farnsworth]

this is not a debate on firearms and/or their legality, it is a current event thread. Keep it on track.

[GS608]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/...e-in-melbourne

Rowntree, from Colac, has a string of offences and was described last year by a judge as a devious and out-of-control serial offender.

He was sentenced last November to three years in a Youth Justice Centre and ordered to pay $152,000 compensation for burning down a house he had burgled.

The Geelong County Court had heard Rowntree's 69 offences included arson, criminal damage, handling stolen goods, car theft, burglary and theft.

Judge John Nixon also disqualified him from driving for two years.

How the ****in hell is this kid still out and about in the community? He should have been locked up for a very long time quite a few years ago!

[Bobman]

Must be fed up with the speed cameras that Brumby has bestowed upon us!

[Den76]

I just come back from the Richmond area and theres about 4 choppers including Police airwing circuling around and also seen about 20 or so police vehicles scouring the streets.

[Airmon]

Originally Posted by flappist

This is not possible....guns are banned.

The gun is just the story they have at the moment, the real issue here is this bloke speeding along the freeway! lucky nobody was killed. Bloody hoons.

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Airmon

The gun is just the story they have at the moment, the real issue here is this bloke speeding along the freeway! lucky nobody was killed. Bloody hoons.

Couldn't possibly be dangerous speeding, there are safety-cams that would have stopped him.

[Work Horse]

They have been saying a man of, "Spanish appearance" all day.

WTF is "Spanish appearance"?

The guy should have headed to Johnston Street (Melbourne's Spanish quarter), he would have blended in.

[GTpilot]

Does not look spanish to me, Looks more like Rick Kelly.

Image from The Age:

[DJR-351]

Apparently this is the "Spanish" looking chap... ^^^Edit: yep thats the bugger^^^

http://bigpondnews.com/articles/TopS...ce_475815.html

[vztrt]

Originally Posted by GTpilot

Does not look spanish to me, Looks more like Rick Kelly.

Image from The Age:

Haha thats what I thought when I saw him. But I love the whole Spanish looking....all he needed was blonde hair and he couldn't be any more anglo.

[Bucknaked]

Originally Posted by Work Horse

They have been saying a man of, "Spanish appearance" all day.

WTF is "Spanish appearance"?

[JC]

How can someone who wasx sentenced to 3 years in november last year be out and about? And how did he only get 3 years for his offences? Our justice system has a lot to answer for! Luckily no-one was killed today!

[RG]

They're apparently all over him up in Whittlesea.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/arm...-1225882756566


Seems the problem has been found....

Originally Posted by Rowntree's mother

This morning, Rowntree's mother said her son was no danger to anyone and the reaction to his crime spree has been "quite hysterical".

Zoe told heraldsun.com.au that her 19-year-old son was "a gentle boy" as his friends urged him to give himself up after yesterday's dramatic pursuit that bright parts of Melbourne to a standstill.

"He’s a gentle boy, he’s no danger to anybody. He got rid of the gun didn’t he?" Zoe Rowntree said from her home near Colac.

"He’s gentle because he cuddles his brothers and sisters."

She described the reaction to yesterday's dramatic chase as "quite hysterical".

Some people shouldn't be allowed to have children. Stupid, stupid woman.

[gcg2503]

Originally Posted by RG

Some people shouldn't be allowed to have children. Stupid, stupid woman.

Reaction was "quite hysterical"

If driving like a maniac and ramming cop cars isn't worthy of hysteria, then surely running around with a shotgun is. Isn't it?

Agree with you Russ, this woman clearly should have kept her mouth shut and urged him to turn himself in.

Let's hope the justice system doesn't fail us again this time

[RG]

Originally Posted by gcg2503

Reaction was "quite hysterical"

If driving like a maniac and ramming cop cars isn't worthy of hysteria, then surely running around with a shotgun is. Isn't it?

Agree with you Russ, this woman clearly should have kept her mouth shut and urged him to turn himself in.

Let's hope the justice system doesn't fail us again this time

It will. He will plead that he had a bad childhood and poor parenting, something that is painfully obvious after her comments.

The only issue what do you do with him? Sending him to prison isn't working and I dare say that if he does go for this then it will be to an adult prison and not his kiddie prison. Problem there is he seems the type that will come out with more skills than he went in with rather than coming out "rehabilitated".

[jcxr]

Ah well, sleep with the" shotty "tonight.

[FG XR]

it was only a matter of time....