- Man and woman were shot dead
- There is another man on the run, police say
- Do you know more? Email tips@dailymail.com
A dead woman found next to a dying man had shown up at his house in the middle of the night, armed with a gun, as police hunted for a second man who fled the scene.
Police were called to Parson St, Rye, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, shortly after 4am on Monday after reports of a loud argument between a group of people at the property.
Officers found a 29-year-old man and a woman in her twenties in the home with serious gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of the ambulance crew, they died on the spot.
Police have confirmed that the 29-year-old man was the resident of the property, but say the woman has not yet been formally identified.
Detective Chief Inspector Janet Stevenson of Crime Command said the fight broke out when the woman and the second man turned up at the dead man’s house at around 4am.
It is understood the man or woman began beating the 29-year-old with a baton before demanding him to give them some personal belongings that were in the house.
It is understood the woman was then fatally shot during a struggle over a firearm. The 29-year-old man was also shot shortly before the second man fled.
Chief Inspector Stevenson said police believe all three individuals knew each other and the incident was targeted.
Police and forensic teams were photographed on Parson St, in Rye, on Monday morning
Detectives could scour the area for evidence as they worked the crime scene
Forensic teams were seen carrying bags of evidence out of the home
Calling for help from the public, she said the second man, who police have yet to identify, is believed to have left in a vehicle and may still be armed.
‘We don’t know if there is still a firearm there [and] we assume there was a getaway car,” she told reporters on Monday.
‘We are trying to determine the identity of the man and are appealing to anyone who may have been in that area this morning and may have seen anything.
‘If you have dashcam footage or CCTV footage please contact us or Crime Stoppers.’
Chief Inspector Stevenson said police were yet to determine the nature of the dispute, but one line of inquiry was whether drugs were involved in the incident.
It is understood the 29-year-old man was the sole occupant of the home and a guest, who was hiding in the property during the altercation, made the triple 0 call to police.
Chief Inspector Stevenson said police are still investigating how many people were in the house at the time and where the weapon involved in the shooting came from.
She said the 29-year-old man was known to police but would not confirm the nature of those interactions.
Forensic officers are investigating a car with a P license plate that was parked outside the building
A forensics officer was seen video recording while a colleague marked the scene
The twin deaths have shocked local residents of Rye, a wealthy coastal suburb 60 miles south of Melbourne known for its beaches.
Local residents told Daily Mail Australia on Monday that they had not heard anything around the time of the incident.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has any information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.