Sydney, Jun 13 (UNI) Two armed men were shot by police officers during an counter-terrorism investigation in the Australia Victoria state, authorities said on Thursday.
Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) detectives were in the process of "gathering intelligence" in the township of Barnawartha North, when they sought assistance from local police to find two persons of interest, reported ABC news.
Addressing a news conference, Victoria Acting Assistant Commissioner Clive Rust said that investigators from Counter Terrorism Command tried to intercept the two men on Old Barnawartha Road, near Richardsons Bend Camping Ground on Wednesday evening.
When officers located the brothers, the men rammed the police vehicle before getting out and confronting the officers.
'The two males rammed the police vehicle and then alighted from their own vehicle and confronted the police. The two males were armed with edged weapons. One man lunged at the officers and was shot', Rust said.
The other was involved in a standoff with police for several minutes before also lunging and subsequently being shot, he added.
The two men were rushed to nearby hospitals after the incident.
According to Rust, the "edged weapons" were a tomahawk and knife.
The Victoria Police said the accused were aged 19 and 30. They are believed to be brothers with possible links to organised crime gangs.
Despite the initial involvement from the CTC, Victorian Police said the incident was "not being treated as a terrorism-related attack and there is no ongoing threat to the community".
The two men were expected to be charged later on Thursday.
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