A tragic domestic dispute in Hillside, west of Melbourne, has left one man dead and another in critical condition following a confrontation that led to police opening fire. The incident occurred early Friday morning at a Chris Court residence, where a family feud between a stepfather and his stepson spiraled into deadly violence.
Authorities were called to the home around 6:50 a.m. after reports of a stabbing. Upon arrival, officers found a 61-year-old man lying on the front lawn with life-threatening injuries. Despite police efforts to administer CPR, the man died at the scene.
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While responding to the situation, officers reportedly heard a scream from inside the home. Upon entering, they were confronted by a man armed with a knife, believed to be in his 30s, who allegedly ignored police attempts at negotiation. According to police, the man advanced toward them, prompting officers to fire several shots both inside the house and on the street. The man, identified as the stepson, was struck in the lower body and transported to Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he remains in critical but stable condition under police guard.
The incident, described by police as a family violence situation, allegedly began when the stepson arrived at the home unannounced, leading to an altercation with his stepfather. A heavily pregnant woman, believed to be the sister of the man shot by police, had reportedly called emergency services as the confrontation unfolded.
Detective Inspector Dean Thomas briefed the media, confirming that authorities are not seeking any additional suspects and are treating the incident as a domestic violence case. “We believe all parties were known to each other, and we are treating this as a family violence incident,” Thomas said. He also stated that the stepson did not live at the residence and had arrived unexpectedly that morning.
Inspector Thomas reviewed bodycam footage from the responding officers and expressed confidence that the officers had done everything possible to de-escalate the situation before resorting to force. He added that the man had allegedly stabbed a police vehicle’s tire before advancing toward one of the officers, leading to the shooting.
The 27-year-old pregnant woman was taken to the hospital for observation as a precaution, though she was not physically harmed in the incident. The area surrounding the home has been cordoned off as homicide detectives continue to investigate the scene.
Police are urging anyone with information about the tragedy to come forward. Further details about the investigation are expected in the coming days.