Wieambilla: Six dead in shooting at remote Australian property - BBC

Six people, including 2 constabulary officers, person been changeable dormant aft a suspected ambush astatine a distant Australian property.

Police said they had been searching for a missing idiosyncratic successful Wieambilla - 270km (168 miles) westbound of Brisbane, Queensland - erstwhile they were fired upon.

After a lengthy siege, 3 suspects were fatally changeable by police. A motive remains unclear, authorities said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it a "heartbreaking day" for Australia.

Four Queensland constabulary officers initially went to the spot connected Monday day section time, aft a petition from New South Wales police.

Constables Matthew Arnold, 26, and Rachel McCrow, 29, were changeable dormant arsenic they approached. Another serviceman suffered a "bullet graze" and the 4th escaped the property, constabulary said.

An unnamed neighbour, aged 58, was besides killed by the suspects during the siege aft going to investigate.

Queensland Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll described it arsenic an "unimaginable tragedy" and the force's largest nonaccomplishment of beingness successful a azygous incidental successful galore years.

"Those officers did not basal a chance. The information that 2 got retired live is simply a miracle," she said aft visiting the country connected Tuesday.

Mr Arnold and Ms McCrow were comparatively caller to the constabulary unit but some had earned a estimation for being committed and courageous, Ms Carroll said.

"Both nether 30 years of age. Both had fantastic careers and lives up of them," she said, visibly emotional.

A radical of 16 section officers had "bravely" tried to rescue the brace - hoping they were inactive live - earlier specializer constabulary arrived and took implicit the operation, she said.

The siege continued for hours, earlier the suspects - 2 men and 1 pistillate who person not been named - were shot.

With investigations ongoing, Ms Carroll said she couldn't accidental if constabulary were lured to the property, oregon remark connected a imaginable motive. She said "many weapons" were utilized during the incident.

Local media reported that the officers were ambushed and Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers alleged they were killed "in acold blood".

"They were met by gunfire which was conscionable relentless," helium told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Local MP David Littleproud said the onslaught had near his assemblage "numb".

"[These] are tiny state towns wherever this benignant of happening conscionable doesn't happen," helium said.

The deaths volition beryllium investigated by the coroner and the constabulary effect volition beryllium examined by the force's ethical standards command, successful enactment with modular practice.