Three Killed in Lake Cargelligo Shooting, Suspect Sought

Three people were killed in a shooting in the small New South Wales town of Lake Cargelligo on Thursday afternoon, prompting a major police operation and lockdown as authorities search for the suspected gunman who remains at large.

The incident occurred around 4:40 p.m. local time on Walker Street near Yelkin Street in the Central West town, located about three hours southwest of Dubbo. Emergency services responded to reports of gunfire, where officers from the Central West Police District found two women and one man dead from gunshot wounds. A fourth victim, a man, was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition.

New South Wales Police established a secure perimeter and issued an urgent warning for residents to stay inside and for the public to avoid the area. A spokesperson for the force stated, "The public is urged to avoid the area and for local residents to stay inside." Investigators believe the suspected shooter fled the scene in a council-owned vehicle and is armed, possibly with a long-arm weapon. He is also subject to an apprehended violence order, a legal restriction typically imposed to protect individuals from domestic or personal violence.