Loose Gunman

Things have been interesting in Melbourne this morning. Around 8.20, from the vantage point of my work desk by the window, I saw a number of Police vehicles squeal to a halt outside in the street. They began closing off the nearby intersection, people began running for cover as they were told to leave the area, obviously something was up. A quick search on the net gave the terse story – a shooting one street away – three people shot in the street outside a café…

This of course was a not the usual Monday morning routine, a buzz of excitement ran through office. Stories began flying around the office thick and fast. Apart from the meagre amount of information available from internet news sources, there was no definite story. Where these many and varied (and often quite elaborate) versions of the basic facts came from I couldn’t exactly work out, especially since the building was locked down at the time and no one let in or out.

More office workers arrived and found themselves unable to enter their buildings, and with nowhere to go, began milling around on the street with bemused looks on their faces, mobile phones stuck to their ears being herded around by Police in flack jackets.

More of the story was revealed through repeated hitting of the refresh button on the net browser and eventually the story emerged that a man had got out of a taxi allegedly holding a woman against her will. A couple of good Samaritans came to her aid. The man began shooting. One of those coming to the aid of the girl was shot dead and the other in a critical condition. The woman too was shot and is critical. As I write this the gunman was still at large.

An hour or so later and the crowds of people have now dissipated a little, the street is now open, a police helicopter has been buzzing overhead. The Police on the ground have disappeared but there seems to be no more news about the loose gunman.

Not your normal Melbourne Monday morning, and perhaps a sad example of why people find it harder and harder to be good Samaritans these days…