Man Arrested After Gunman Search in Pinjarra

PINJARRA:  Western Australia Police have successfully located and detained an 18-year-old man following a major tactical search that paralyzed the town of Pinjarra, approximately 80 kilometers south of Perth, on Monday.

The emergency operation was triggered around 9:30 AM after residents on Pollard Street reported seeing a man acting suspiciously. Within 40 minutes, CCTV footage surfaced showing an individual in a backyard holding what appeared to be a longarm firearm.

Mandurah District Acting Superintendent Darren Hart confirmed that significant police resources, including tactical units, were deployed to the area.

“Police are investigating a report that a projectile may have been discharged at that residence,” Superintendent Hart said, referring to the Pollard Street property. Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported.

Following hours of searching several homes across both Pinjarra and nearby Mandurah, police confirmed just before 5:00 PM (8:00 PM AEDT) that the 18-year-old suspect had been located.

“There is no ongoing threat to public safety,” a police spokesperson stated. The man is currently assisting with inquiries, and multiple other individuals are also being questioned as part of the broader investigation.

Authorities were quick to clarify that this incident is not linked to the ongoing search for 58-year-old Kenneth John Giles, who is wanted in relation to a shooting near Mullewa last week.

While the Pinjarra community was urged to remain indoors and “hidden from sight” during the peak of the search, the lockdown has since been lifted and normal activity has resumed.