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Victoria police have identified the man suspected of attacking three people with an axe and going on the run in Gippsland on Saturday.
Police issued an arrest warrant for Peter O’Ryan on Sunday as part of a manhunt for the 48-year-old man.
He is believed to have attacked three people with an axe or hatchet at about 12.30pm on Saturday, at an address in the Gippsland town of Tyers.
A spokesperson for Victoria police said detectives were still working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident, but said the attack is believed to have happened after an argument.
A 76-year-old man and a 47-year-old man suffered life threatening injuries in the attack and remained in a critical condition on Sunday afternoon, police said. A woman, 74, was taken to hospital with critical injuries and was in a stable condition as of Sunday.
O’Ryan fled the address on foot. He is known to the victims.
Victoria police launched a large-scale search for the man on Saturday and were continuing to look for him on Sunday.
He was last seen wearing a black and mustard coloured jacket and carrying a black backpack.
Police have circulated images of him in the hopes a member of the public will recognise him and provide information about his current whereabouts. Police have urged the public not to approach him if they see him and instead immediately contact Triple Zero (000). Police warned he may be armed with an axe or hatchet.
One of the images circulated by police includes the distinctive jacket he was last seen wearing.
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O’Ryan does not have a fixed address and is known to take refuge in abandoned properties or outhouses, police said.
He often frequents the area around Morwell.
The victims had been able to call emergency services for help, Victoria police said.
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