Six people including two police officers were killed in a gun battle at an isolated property in Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, Australia on Tuesday.
According to several reports, the incident happened when a police team visited the place for an investigation over a missing report.
Reuters reported that when four officers arrived at about 4:30 pm on Monday at the property in Wieambilla, about 300 km (186 miles) northwest of Queensland’s Brisbane, two armed people started shooting at them.
Police said there was then a “siege” at the house, without elaborating how that actually helped.
The police said 16 specialist officers responded and in a gun battle at about 10:30 pm killed a 46-year-old man from Kewarra Beach, about 1,500km northwest of the property; and a 47-year-old man and a 45-year-old woman, both from Wieambilla.
The slain police officers were Constable Matthew Arnold and Constable Rachel McCrow, aged 26 and 29 respectively.
Another 58-year-old neighbour was also killed in the gunfight according to the police without providing the person’s name.
Two other officers who sustained minor injuries have been taken to the hospital.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as a “terrible and a heartbreaking day”.
Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said the shooting was the largest loss of life in a single incident the state police have suffered in recent times.