One man has died and another is critically injured, after attempting to rescue a woman struggling with a gunman in Melbourne.
The incident occurred during the morning rush hour on the corner of Flinders and William streets in Melbourne's business district, with many streets and shops subsequently closed.
Ross Murchie, an eyewitness, described the shootings to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation:
"A girl came out of a building over the road - she was screaming and a guy had her by the hair. She tried to grab hold of a taxi that was going by and the couple of bystanders went over to ask what was happening," Mr Murchie said.
"He let go of her hair, pulled out a gun and shot them all."
Glen Weir, Victoria Police inspector, said that it was looking "more likely as time goes on" that the two men shot were "good Samaritans".
Witnesses reported that the shooter and the 24-year-old woman had been seen arguing in a nearby club before the incident.
Inspector Weir added: "It certainly appears as though there was some verbal confrontation prior to the shooting between the male and the female, so it appears as though there was some relationship,"
The suspected shooter - a Caucasian male in his late 20s or early 30s - has been identified and was previously known to police.
