According to local police, emergency services rushed to the town, which has a population of about 1,500, shortly after reports of gunfire were received. Initial information indicates that the victims include two women who died at the scene, while a man succumbed to injuries after being taken to hospital. Another individual remains hospitalised in serious condition. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.
Police said the suspected attackers are still at large, and a manhunt has been launched. As a precautionary measure, authorities issued geo-targeted text alerts urging residents to stay indoors and avoid the area. Multiple police units, including specialist officers, were deployed, and roadblocks were set up around the town.
A local resident, identified only as Manisha, told The Daily Telegraph that the town had been flooded with emergency vehicles. “There are police cars and ambulances everywhere. We can hear sirens constantly,” she said, describing a tense atmosphere in the normally quiet two-street town.
The shooting came on a day when Australia was observing a National Day of Mourning for victims of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, in which 15 people were killed during a Hanukkah celebration on December 14. That attack had prompted nationwide vigils and heightened security across major cities.
In the days following the Bondi Beach incident, Australian authorities have been on high alert. Earlier this week, police said they had foiled a possible “violent act” in Sydney’s south-western suburb of Liverpool, based on intelligence inputs. Tactical officers intercepted two vehicles, and seven men are currently assisting police with inquiries. Officials, however, have stated that no direct link has been established between that operation and either the Bondi Beach attack or Thursday’s shooting in NSW.
The Bondi Beach incident marked one of the deadliest attacks in Australia in recent years and prompted strong public reaction. Australia’s The Daily Telegraph ran a stark front-page headline condemning the perpetrators, reflecting widespread anger and grief.
Police said investigations into the latest shooting are ongoing, and further details will be released as more information becomes available. Authorities have reiterated appeals for calm and urged anyone with information to come forward, as Australia grapples with a renewed sense of shock following consecutive violent incidents.
