A protective services officer has opened fire on a man who allegedly confronted them with broken glass in the centre of Melbourne.
Police say the officers were responding to an unrelated incident on the Princes Street Bridge just after 5.30pm on Friday when they were approached by the man.
A man has been injured during a PSO shooting in Melbourne’s CBD.
— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) February 9, 2024
Police and PSOs were responding to an unrelated incident on the Princes Street Bridge at 5.30pm on 9 February.
It’s believed a man armed with broken glass confronted several PSOs.
When OC spray failed to subdue the man, one protective services officer (PSO) opened fire and the alleged assailant was struck once, police said. He was taken to hospital with what were believed to be non-life-threatening injuries.
Protective services officers are armed and uniformed officers who have the power to apprehend, arrest, search and fine people in public places such as railway stations.
The incident – which forced the closure of Swanston Street in both directions at the bridge – was not terror related, police said, and there was no ongoing danger to the public.
The bridge had reopened on Saturday.
Armed crime squad detectives will now investigate the incident as per standard protocol when a firearm is discharged.
In a separate media statement, police said a 27-year-old man was arrested in relation to an alleged attempted robbery and assault.
Officers were told the man initially boarded a tram where he allegedly unsuccessfully attempted to rob passengers before getting off at Princes Bridge.
“It’s alleged the man then assaulted four people with a glass bottle, before he was arrested at the scene,” a police statement said.
A 67-year-old Warneet man, a 56-year-old Collingwood woman, a 24-year-old Kennington woman and a 46-year-old Hoppers Crossing woman were all taken to St Vincent’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and were in stable conditions.
The arrested man, who was from South Melbourne, was helping police with their enquiries.
He has since been charged with four counts of recklessly cause injury and is due to appear before the Melbourne magistrate’s Court on Saturday.
– Australian Associated Press contributed to this report
