Sydney (Australia): Three people were killed and another seriously injured in a shooting on Thursday in the small town of Lake Cargelligo in Australia’s New South Wales state, police said, prompting an urgent security alert for residents.
Emergency services rushed to a residential address in Lake Cargelligo, a town of about 1,500 people, after receiving reports of gunfire. Police confirmed that two women and one man were found dead at the scene, while another man was taken to hospital with serious but stable injuries.
Authorities said the shooter or shooters remain at large, triggering an extensive police operation in and around the town. Geo-targeted text messages were sent to residents urging them to avoid the area, remain indoors, and stay alert as officers worked to secure the scene.
Local residents described a heavy emergency response. Manisha, a resident who declined to share her full name, told The Daily Telegraph that police vehicles and ambulances had flooded the town. She said Lake Cargelligo has just two main streets and that sirens could be heard continuously.
The incident occurred on Australia’s National Day of Mourning, observed in memory of the 15 people killed in a mass shooting during a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney on December 14. Authorities have said the two alleged attackers in that incident were inspired by the Islamic State group, marking the country’s deadliest mass shooting since 1996.
Police have not yet released details about the motive behind the Lake Cargelligo shooting and said investigations are ongoing.
