Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Alessio Perrone

Darwin shooting: Gunman kills four after opening fire at motel in Australia

In this image made from video, police proceed to apprehend a suspect on the ground next to a white truck on Tuesday 4 June, in Darwin, Australia. ( AP Images )

At least four people have died after a gunman opened fire in a motel in Darwin, in Australia’s Northern Territory.

Northern Territory Police confirmed on Facebook that a man was a taken into custody and that there were also "multiple injuries and multiple crime scenes."

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported that witnesses saw the man walk into Palms Motel in Darwin holding a sawn-off gun and open fire on a number of rooms. 

“He shot up all the rooms and he went to every room looking for somebody and he shot them all up,” witness John Rose told ABC.

“Then we saw him rush out, jump into his Toyota pick-up, and rush off.” 

Police say it is not believed to be a terror-related incident. 

Australian media reported that the gunman then moved to other areas of Darwin. Large sections of the city, which has a population of 100,000 were closed down while the police operation took place.

Police earlier said the suspect was wearing a high-visibility shirt and driving a Toyota pickup truck. 

A 45-year-old Caucasian man was then arrested at around 6:45 pm local time.

While the motel is the main crime scene, local reports suggest there could be as many as five different crime scenes.

Mass shootings in Australia have been a rare occurrence since the country overhauled its gun laws in 1996, following the shooting in Tasmania that killed 35 people.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.