Melbourne siege: Police shoot gunman dead after explosions and hostage situation

The attacker was reported to have called local media during the attack

(Reuters)

Police have shot and killed a gunman who took a hostage in Melbourne, after an apparent siege.

The situation has been resolved after a man was shot and the woman who was being held against her will was rescued, according to Victoria Police. The man may have killed someone else in the foyer of the same apartment building, according to local reports.

Local media stations said they had received a call that appeared to have come from within the building, where a woman could be heard screaming in the background. “This is for IS, this is for al-Qaeda,” he is reported to have said.

Neither group has claimed responsibility for any incident in Melbourne. Isis and al-Qaeda are fiercely opposed to each other.

Information on the attacker’s identity and his motivation would be revealed “when appropriate”, the police service said.

Earlier, Victoria Police had said that it was attempting to negotiate with the man inside the apartment, and confirmed that he was holding a woman and not allowing her to leave.

(Reuters (Reuters)

Locals reported hearing huge bangs before the situation was brought to an end.

Three police officers were injured during the siege.