Todays - WTF?

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

WTF is going on out there.. Shocked

Quote:

Three dead in axe attack
June 30, 2008 - 4:23PM

Police are searching for a man in his 70s driving a Toyota Avalon after woman and two children were killed in an axe attack in the central western NSW town of Cowra.

A fourth person - an off-duty female police officer - has been rushed to hospital with serious head injuries. It was her children who were killed, police have confirmed.

The older woman who died was reported to be the policewoman's mother, but police have not confirmed that.

Detective Superintendent Geoff Beresford, head of the homicide squad, said: "It has shades of it [the Pericoe murder-suicide], overtones of it."

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Police issued an alert for the public to look out for a silver-coloured Toyota Avalon - NSW registration YSW 616.

They said the suspect may have a firearm - but have not said if they believe it to be the policewoman's - and warned anyone who sees the car to contact 000 immediately but not approach the car.

Police say the car is possibly being driven by a man of white/European appearance, aged in his late 70s, about 157cm tall, with thick wavy white hair combed to one side, a medium build, and pale blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a light-coloured shirt.

The Police Association would not confirm reports the injured person was a female police officer.

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics were told of the attack at a home on Brougham Street by police at about 2.10pm.

Ambulance spokeswoman Fiona Kruit told Sky News she understood police had access to the house.

"We believe the police have access to the house and have called ambulance officers in. We believe there's no further injuries at the scene,'' she said.

Police have cordoned off streets around the house.

The Department of Education would not comment on reports a third child had been released from a local school into the care of police.

Michael Camps, who runs Cowra Smash Repairs, also on Brougham Street, said he had heard that a local man with a history of violence "had killed his family with an axe''.

"That's the same sort of story I have heard from a few different people,'' Mr Camps said.

"It's around the area where he lived. If it is him he's got a history of going off a bit.''

Mr Camps said streets in the area had been blocked off by police.

bUT He said the man he was referring to was aged about 30 and had a young wife with "a couple of kids''.

"I've heard he's had hostages, he hit one in the head with an axe and he's finished whoever he had in the house off,'' Mr Camps said.

Chris Milburn, a barman at the Cowra Bowling Club on the same street as the house where the bodies were found, said patrons had seen police officers in the street with guns drawn.

"What I've heard is that an off-duty copper has been hit in the head with an axe and she's been taken to hospital,'' Mr Milburn said.

He said he was not aware that three bodies had been found.

"Patrons have been walking around past police officers with their guns drawn so we knew it was something big,'' Mr Milburn said.

with AAP

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

The hunt for John Walsh ended six hours after the carnage in Cowra at a motel in the south west Riverina town of Hay tonight when local police swooped on him as he went to go and buy some milk.

Police said the 8.15pm arrest followed a one hour stake out of the Highway Inn Motel in Murray Street, by local police alerted to the presence of a silver Toyota Avalon sedan fitting the discription of his vehicle.

A staffer at the hotel alerted police to Walsh's presence when he booked into a room at the motel just after 7pm.

Police were dispatched to check the "bonefides'' of the vehicle registration and on sighting the car confirmed it bore the same YSW 616 registration of the sedan wanted in connection with the Cowra killings.

But rather than storm the room, police staked the motel out waiting for back up to arrive from Griffith.

At 8.15pm Walsh emerged from his room to go and get some milk and it was then that police swooped and arrested him without a struggle.

He was taken to Hay Police Station and is being transferred to the border town of Deniliquin.

Homicide Squad detectives were travelling from Cowra to interview him. It is not knopw if any weapon was found inside the sedan.

Walsh had chosen to flee south west rather than to the Hunter-Newcastle Region which police had earlier feared.

Walsh's daughter, Senior Constable Shelley Walsh, was seriously wounded in the head in the attack at her parents' home in Brougham Street, Cowra, where she had been staying for the past four years while stationed at Parkes police station. She was flown to Orange Base Hospital.

Ms Walsh is 31 years old and has been in the police force since 1997.

Her children, a boy aged seven and a girl aged five, were killed, along with her mother, Mabel, Mr Walsh's wife who was in her 60s, say police.

Earlier tonight police released two photographs of Mr Walsh.

The Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione said: "This is perhaps one of the worst days in the history of the police,'' he said.

Neighbour Terry Lovett described his elderly neighbours as a quiet, retired couple who moved to town about 10 years ago from Sydney.

"Then a few years ago his son committed suicide ... and then after that, we did notice a bit of change in him. He was a bit quiet and didn't socialise much,'' he added.

"The only thing I can imagine there is that I got the impression that he may have felt a bit burdened by looking after his grandkids.''

Meanwhile, specialist officers continued to examine the home in Brougham Street, Cowra, where the bodies of the two children and Mrs Walsh were discovered at 2pm today.

The senior constable was seriously injured in what is believed to have been a domestic-related incident. She was initially taken by ambulance to Cowra Hospital, before being airlifted to Orange Base Hospital where she is believed to be in a serious condition.

Inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the deaths are in their early stages and are being conducted by detectives from the State Crime Commands Homicide Squad and Canobolas Local Area Command.

Post mortems are expected to be carried out on the bodies in the coming days, with information to be provided to the Coroner.

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics were told of the attack at a home on Brougham Street by police about 2.10pm.

Cowra local Vince Anderson said the injured policewoman had run into his sister's house, screaming.

"The daughter ran into her place and screaming and knocking on the door to get into her house and Cheryl opened the door and let her in and locked all the house up,'' he said.

"And she said that they're all dead in there, and she's got to ring the police and she got on the phone.

"She had big gash in the side of the head.''

Another neighbour, Alastair Thompson, said he arrived home from playing bridge to find his street swarming with police.

"I'm devastated by what's happened,'' he said. "I've been sitting here drinking scotch trying to forget. It's a terrible society.''

The mayor of Cowra says his close-knit community is reeling after the axe attack.

Cowra Council Mayor Bruce Miller said the Cowra community would "battle'' to come to terms with the incident over coming days.
"Cowra is a very close-knit community of about 10,000 people,'' he said.
"We do all look out for each other and any incident that affects children is especially harsh.''

with AAP

Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Location: Brisbane South. QLD

I seen that story on the news and heard they were looking for the old man...but didnt think they were looking for him as a suspect, I thought he was missing (pensioner-napped).

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

G_loomis wrote:

I seen that story on the news and heard they were looking for the old man...but didnt think they were looking for him as a suspect, I thought he was missing (pensioner-napped).

nothing like kids lookin up to granddad to keep them safe......

Joined: 21 Jan 2004 Location: Brisbane South. QLD

bogged wrote:

G_loomis wrote:

I seen that story on the news and heard they were looking for the old man...but didnt think they were looking for him as a suspect, I thought he was missing (pensioner-napped).

nothing like kids lookin up to granddad to keep them safe......

And here we are worried about 'stranger danger'...this sort of story really makes you think.

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

G_loomis wrote:

bogged wrote:

G_loomis wrote:

I seen that story on the news and heard they were looking for the old man...but didnt think they were looking for him as a suspect, I thought he was missing (pensioner-napped).

nothing like kids lookin up to granddad to keep them safe......

And here we are worried about 'stranger danger'...this sort of story really makes you think.

the older i get the less i understand things.

Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Location: Melbourne Australia

Kids have always been in more danger from their own family than from strangers. Sad but true.

Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 12:01 pm

Such terrible news. I heard it on the radio yesterday afternoon.. After some astute newsreader on Triple M didn't quite get the whole story out. All they said was "There is a man of about 70 driving up the F3 in a Silver Toyota Yaris"

Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: In the Goatshed in Melbourne

chimpboy wrote:

Kids have always been in more danger from their own family than from strangers. Sad but true.

X Boggedty

Joined: 13 Jan 2006 Location: Newcastle

I dont think he's gonna live very long in jail either.

I just wonder what made him snap like that?

Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:19 pm

BadBetty wrote:

I dont think he's gonna live very long in jail either.

I just wonder what made him snap like that?

he had been subjected to too many episodes ofthe wiggles and hi 5.

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

DIRTY ROCK STAR wrote:

BadBetty wrote:

I dont think he's gonna live very long in jail either.

I just wonder what made him snap like that?

he had been subjected to too many episodes ofthe wiggles and hi 5.

you know my day so far.... sittin at home with Rebecca sick. had her 4yr old shots on weekend, and now is sick. awesome.. but its Hi 5 and Dora.. cussing

Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 1:53 pm

bogged wrote:

DIRTY ROCK STAR wrote:

BadBetty wrote:

I dont think he's gonna live very long in jail either.

I just wonder what made him snap like that?

he had been subjected to too many episodes ofthe wiggles and hi 5.

you know my day so far.... sittin at home with Rebecca sick. had her 4yr old shots on weekend, and now is sick. awesome.. but its Hi 5 and Dora.. cussing

NO TV AND NO BEER MAKES BOGGED GO...something something...

Joined: 15 Nov 2002 Location: Driving my GU in Melbourne

bogged wrote:

DIRTY ROCK STAR wrote:

BadBetty wrote:

I dont think he's gonna live very long in jail either.

I just wonder what made him snap like that?

he had been subjected to too many episodes ofthe wiggles and hi 5.

you know my day so far.... sittin at home with Rebecca sick. had her 4yr old shots on weekend, and now is sick. awesome.. but its Hi 5 and Dora.. cussing

I fricking hate Dora, Boots and her stupid backpack. Almost as much as I hate her drop kick cousin Diego cussing

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

DIRTY ROCK STAR wrote:

NO TV AND NO BEER MAKES BOGGED GO...something something...

was going to say too early for beer, but its 2 pm already Shocked

grimbo wrote:

I fricking hate Dora, Boots and her stupid backpack. Almost as much as I hate her drop kick cousin Diego cussing

shes asleep now
might snap the CD in 1/2

Joined: 18 Jun 2003 Location: Newcastle, NSW

DIRTY ROCK STAR wrote:

NO TV AND NO BEER MAKES BOGGED GO...something something...

There's no go Wink

Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 2:16 pm

Bogged, think of it this way, while she's that age at least she's not into drugs, alcohol or even worse, BOYS Shocked

Joined: 05 Sep 2003 Location: Darwin

MissForby wrote:

Bogged, think of it this way, while she's that age at least she's not into drugs, alcohol or even worse, DRS Shocked

Screw Dora off, get Curious George the movie and shawn the sheep.. Very Happy

Joined: 15 Nov 2002 Location: Driving my GU in Melbourne

DeWsE wrote:

MissForby wrote:

Bogged, think of it this way, while she's that age at least she's not into drugs, alcohol or even worse, DRS Shocked

Screw Dora off, get Curious George the movie and shawn the sheep.. Very Happy

those I can easily sit through Very Happy

Joined: 13 Jan 2004 Location: Canberra

My two (2 yr old twins) sat there with me all Sunday afternoon watching all the fishing shows I copied for the lats two weeks armsup

The kept telling me about the fish & the boats, they love it.

Back on topic:
Old man needs a bullet though, mum will be buggered now for the rest of her life if she survives the attack Crying or Very sad

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

MissForby wrote:

Bogged, think of it this way, while she's that age at least she's not into drugs, alcohol or even worse, BOYS Shocked

i wanted to watch life of brian.... Embarassed

Joined: 27 Sep 2007 Location: Townsville

Bloody toyota drivers.....

Joined: 05 Feb 2005 Location: Check your six.

BadBetty wrote:

I dont think he's gonna live very long in jail either.

I just wonder what made him snap like that?

Family looked like it was undergoing a lot of stress.

Offenders son had committed suicide, daughter's marriage was kaput. Son in law on stress leave, but we may never know why he chose this violent outburst on such innocence.

Joined: 30 Apr 2003 Location: In the Goatshed in Melbourne

Farkin dirty crnut cussing

Joined: 27 Nov 2002 Location: Lost in Melbourne.

fawk.. this gets worse... imagine relying on poppy to be your saviour...

Quote:

Axe killing probe reveals girl drowned
Les Kennedy

July 3, 2008 - 10:56AM
Police sources have confirmed that a policewoman's daughter was drowned in a bath and not killed by an axe.

A post mortem examination also found that the girl's 52-year-old grandmother died from axe wounds after the attack in Cowra.
An examination is also being conducted on the girl's brother today.

The bodies of the three victims were found in separate rooms in the Cowra house and were formally identified by the father of the two children.

Police would not comment on whether the children were still in their pyjamas when their bodies were found.

They were covered with something like a towel and they were wet, police said.

Responding to reports, police said there was nothing to suggest that the children's 69-year-old grandfather, who has been charged with murder, was being treated for a brain tumour.

His daughter woke briefly yesterday after undergoing surgery for head injuries sustained in the attack, before being placed in an induced coma.

Last night she remained in a stable condition at Nepean hospital, surrounded by police colleagues who had travelled to Sydney to comfort her.

Homicide Squad and Crime Scene investigators are still piecing together the events, for which a motive has yet to be revealed.

The house in Cowra remains under guard, with forensic officers expected to continue examination of the scene over the next two days. Items taken from the home included a computer and what appeared to be a display case of hunting knives.

Police refused to comment about items seized for forensic examination.

Police taped off the house and surrounding areas after the incident. Although the house is still being treated as a crime scene, police allowed the street to return to normal at around 12.30pm yesterday.

The neighbours to whom the children's mother ran bleeding to seek refuge after the attack were allowed back into their houses yesterday.

One neighbour said there were still blood marks on the carpet and bathroom door from when the woman entered their house pleading for help.

The neighbour, who cannot be named, said his wife was distressed and unsure whether she would stay in her home last night.

"It's still very hard to deal with," the man said.

"Every night she goes to bed in this place she's going to be affected by what has happened. Obviously it's pretty traumatic."

The neighbour said he was out of town on the day of the attack and returned home to his devastated wife.

"The blood around the house has come from a major crime incident that all of Australia knows about," he said.

The man arrested in relation to the murders is due to face Wagga Wagga District Court on Monday.

The NSW Police Force and Police Association have established an appeal for community donations to help the injured mother with funeral arrangements for her children and her mother.

Donations can be made at any Westpac branch, or by internet transfer to BSB number 032834, account number 159970.

- with Arjun Ramachandran who hates black puppys sittin in hats.