Two individuals reported having a gun pointed at them in a Melbourne boutique hotel lobby during a dramatic pursuit that startled onlookers in the city’s Central Business District (CBD) on Tuesday morning. A man was taken into custody after allegedly carjacking two vehicles while armed, racing through city streets, and mounting sidewalks before fleeing on foot through the hotel.
Police confirmed that the suspect was injured during his arrest shortly thereafter and is currently receiving treatment at the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Remarkably, no members of the public were harmed during the incident.
Footage from the scene captured a handcuffed man, blood visible on his face, being escorted by police down the hotel stairs to an ambulance stretcher. He was dressed in a sports jacket, business shirt, and long pants.
Sequence of Events
Little Bourke Street was temporarily closed near Chinatown as police conducted their investigation around 11 a.m. Acting Inspector Emma Lobb provided a timeline of the events, stating the ordeal began at approximately 8 a.m. when the suspect was traveling with his wife.
“He was quite distressed and intended to visit the police station to file a complaint,” Inspector Lobb explained. “However, after running out of petrol, he became agitated and carjacked a vehicle, heading into the North Melbourne area.”
The suspect allegedly commandeered a second vehicle before making his way into the CBD. Witnesses recounted the chaos that unfolded in the heart of Melbourne.
Witness Accounts
Humberto Aguilar, a guest at the hotel where the suspect was ultimately apprehended, described the terrifying moment. “He put the gun on me. I had my back to the wall,” Aguilar recounted. Visiting Melbourne from Mexico for the Melbourne Marathon, Aguilar was caught in the midst of the unfolding drama.
Geoff, a chef at the Lancemore Crossley St hotel, was emerging from the lobby bathroom when he heard a scream. “I just saw this gun pointing at me and sort of waving, and this guy screaming,” he said, adding, “I just ran out. It felt shocking. You’re sort of wondering what’s happening here in Melbourne.”
Another witness, Nazer, working on Little Bourke Street, heard people shouting about a man with a gun and urging others to flee. He observed police pursuing the suspect and firing a rubber bullet, which missed and struck his car instead.
“All I heard was beep, beep, beep,” a teenage boy recounted, describing the erratic driving near Flinders Street, with the suspect honking at pedestrians and driving on the footpath.
An ABC News crew observed a car speeding along tram tracks on busy Spencer Street, with a male driver shouting from the window. The vehicle, hazard lights flashing, was closely following a Victoria Police crime scene van, trailed by two unmarked police vans.
Police Response and Public Safety
Acting Inspector Lobb confirmed the suspect’s arrest by members of the Critical Incident Response Team and Special Operations Group. Premier Jacinta Allan praised Victoria Police for their swift action. “Police moved swiftly, dealt with this situation quickly,” she stated. “Melbourne’s CBD is safe, and in large part, that is because of the work of Victoria Police in being on the streets, responding quickly to incidents like this.”
The incident highlights the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in maintaining public safety in urban environments. As Melbourne continues to grow, the need for rapid response capabilities becomes increasingly critical.
Community and Legal Implications
While the immediate threat has been neutralized, the incident raises questions about public safety and the resources available to police. Community leaders and law enforcement officials may need to evaluate current strategies to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Authorities are urging anyone with additional information or dashcam footage to contact police. As the investigation continues, the community remains on alert, reflecting on the day’s events and the swift actions that prevented a potentially more dangerous outcome.
