Major police operation underway in South Melbourne after shooting with one woman dead and a man injured

Multiple inner city streets in Melbourne have been locked down following a suspected police shooting. 

It is understood police officers shot dead a woman about 5pm and a man has also been injured though police have yet to confirm the reports. 

The situation unfolded between Dow Street and Church Street in South Melbourne with more than a dozen police vehicles and ambulances still in the area.

An officer is believed to have sustained non-life threatening injuries after being pinned to a wall by a vehicle. Several shots are reported to have been fired. 

Police have cordoned off the area and have urged pedestrians to avoid the scene.  

Investigators from the homicide squad and professional standards command have both been dispatched to the area. 

Local man Alan told Nine News he and his wife heard loud bangs his wife believed to have been gun shots before police flocked to the scene.

‘Well there were a few bangs, I’m not quite sure what they were but my wife sort of thought they might’ve been gunshots,’ he said. 

A man is pictured in a stretcher following the incident in South Melbourne

Emergency services swarmed the inner-city streets late on Saturday afternoon

Police vehicles are pictured at the scene following a suspected shooting in South Melbourne

‘There was certainly a couple of loud bangs and then the police arrive en masse.

‘There was one policeman up with his back to the wall that was getting some attention from other policeman.

‘And there was certainly one person lying in the middle of the road getting chest compressions and there was a lot of concern obviously about that person.’

Multiple people are believed to have been removed from the scene by ambulances.  

Dow Street remains cordoned off by police. 

Victoria Police are currently gathering information relating to the incident which they intend to relay at a press conference at 7.30pm.  

More to follow.