Police arrest a man during yesterday’s incident. Two men were arrested and another man remains on the run. PICTURE: JUSTIN WHITELOCK
BALLARAT’S top cop is appealing for a drug and burglary suspect who was shot at by police yesterday afternoon to give himself up.
The man, aged in his 20s, was fired upon by police about 3.20pm after his vehicle was intercepted at the intersection of Dodds Lane and Otway Street South in Ballarat.
Police had been searching for a man involved in a police chase earlier in the day.
It has not been revealed exactly what forced police to open fire.
However, a statement from Victoria Police said the man “refused to comply with police directions and the police officer has drawn and discharged his firearm”.
The man then fled the scene in his vehicle, which was found a short time later more than six kilometres away on a dirt track near Frenchmans Lane in Mt Clear.
Police arrested two other men in their 20s who were last night assisting police with the investigation.
However, the main suspect remained at large, although his identity was known to police.
Ballarat Police Superintendent Andrew Allen urged the suspect to hand himself in.
“I’d appeal for him to surrender himself so we can continue with the investigation,” he said.
The suspect was wanted for drug and burglary offences when police intercepted him yesterday.
It is not known if he is injured.
Dozens of police assisted in the search yesterday afternoon, with uniformed officers, detectives from the Criminal Investigation Unit and the police helicopter all searching for the man.
A sections of Dodds Lane in Ballarat East and Frenchmans Lane in Mt Clear were blocked off by police and established as crime scenes.
The man is described as being Caucasian in appearance, aged in his 20s, with a medium build and brown hair.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.