Gunman at large in Australia after leaving 3 dead and 1 wounded

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MELBOURNE, Australia — A gunman was at large after a shooting in a town in Australia’s New South Wales state on Thursday left three people dead and another wounded, police said.

Emergency services were called to two locations at Lake Cargelligo, a town of around 1,500 people, after 4 p.m. Two couples, a man and woman, had been shot in each location within minutes, Police Assistant Commissioner Andy Holland said.

Both women and a man died. Another man was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition, he said.

Police knew the identity of a suspect, but did not know his relationship with the victims, who were all Lake Cargelligo locals, Holland said. The suspect’s name has not been released.

State police were working to locate the suspect and had sent resources from neighboring districts to the town, including heavily armed tactical police, Holland said. The town had been cordoned off to prevent the suspect’s escape.

Police used geo-targeted text messages to urge the public to avoid the area and for local residents to stay inside. The Commercial Hotel, a local pub, was closed by 6 p.m.

“The offender is believed to have fled in a vehicle,” Holland told reporters. “The offender is mobile, hence … we’re asking people in those areas to remain inside their premises for their own safety.”

Local resident Manisha, who did not want to give her family name, told Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph newspaper there were police cars and ambulances “all over town.”

“The town is made of just two main streets. We can hear the sounds” of sirens, she told the newspaper.

Local state parliament lawmaker Roy Butler, described the shooting as “tragic news” for the town, which is a 600-kilometer (370-mile) drive west of Sydney.

“It’s a terrible situation, and it’s still live, so we don’t have much information. My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” Butler told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

The shooting came on a National Day of Mourning as Australia remembers the 15 people shot dead in Sydney at a Hannukah celebration on Dec. 14.

Authorities say the two alleged Sydney gunmen were inspired by the Islamic State group to carry out Australia’s worst mass shooting since 1996.

The Australian Parliament on Tuesday passed new gun restrictions in response to the tragedy.

Rod Mcguirk, The Associated Press