Three people have been killed in a shooting in the Australian state of New South Wales, police said on Thursday, with reports that a gunman remained at large.
Police said an operation was currently underway in the town of Lake Cargelligo, about 611 kilometers (379 miles) west of Sydney, and urged residents to stay indoors.
Emergency services were called to the scene following reports of a shooting in the late afternoon.
Two women and one man have died, and another man has been taken to the hospital in a serious but stable condition, police said.
"A police operation is currently underway at Lake Cargelligo," police said in a statement on social media.
"The public is urged to avoid the area, and local residents are urged to stay inside."
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reported that a gunman was believed to be holed up in the town with a long-arm weapon.
Lake Cargelligo is a town in New South Wales' Central West region, and has a population of about 1,100, according to the 2021 census.
The shooting comes one month after two gunmen opened fire at an event on Bondi Beach celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, killing 15 people in Australia's worst mass shooting in decades.
Australia passes gun control, hate crimes laws
Australia’s lower house of Parliament on Tuesday passed laws to enable a national gun buyback and tighten background checks for gun licenses in response to the Bondi Hanukkah shooting.
The bill, which was opposed by conservative lawmakers, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 96 to 45 and will now go to the Senate.
New South Wales, which has the most guns of any state in the country, has also passed laws to limit individuals to possession of four guns and mandate gun club membership for license holders.
The Albanese government also introduced the toughest federal hate crime laws in Australian history after its revised legislation to combat antisemitism, hate, and extremism passed 116-7.
To address the spread of hatred and extremism, including antisemitism, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate, and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 expands and strengthens Commonwealth criminal offenses.
It does so through increased penalties for hate crime offenses, such as new aggravated penalties for preachers and leaders who advocate or threaten violence, the expansion of prohibited hate symbols offenses, and the creation of a fresh framework to enable organizations that engage in conduct constituting a hate crime to be listed as prohibited hate groups. The bill also establishes stricter rules for the import and possession of firearms.