A BLACK Commodore that police shot at in the early hours of Monday morning
had earlier tried to drive at another police car in Laverton, police have
said.
Assistant Commissioner Andrew Crisp said two Footscray police officers
checked the vehicle’s registration at 12.40am because it was suspiciously
driving down the dead-end road Chifley Drive in Maribyrnong. He said the
officers were aware that about 40 minutes earlier a car fitting the same
description had driven at another police car in Laverton.
SEE: Mystery as police open fire on car
He confirmed police shot “a number of rounds” at the vehicle as it drove at
them.
Mr Crisp said two women had gone to the Western Hospital since the guns were
fired – one with a gun shot wound to the leg, near the knee. He said the other
woman was assisting police, but he would not say whether she was in police
custody.
Police believe an unknown man was driving the black 2011 Commodore sedan with
registration XQH399. He called for the public’s assistance to identify the
driver, who is still at large.
Mr Crisp said based on what was known about the shooting, police appeared to
have “been within the parameters of their training”.
“The vehicle was certainly moving towards them, which caused them to draw
their firearms because they believed they were in fear for their lives,” he
said.
As with all police shootings, Professional Standards Command will oversee the
investigation into the incident, police said.
