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A widening search is underway for Julian Ingram, 37, accused of a shooting spree that left three people dead and another seriously injured in the rural town of Lake Cargelligo on Thursday afternoon, as police investigate the possibility he is receiving assistance to evade capture.
Suspect Allegedly Killed Former Partner and Family Members
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The alleged rampage unfolded quickly, leaving a tight-knit community reeling and prompting a large-scale manhunt.
- Julian Ingram is accused of fatally shooting three people in Lake Cargelligo.
- The victims include Ingram’s former partner, Sophie Quinn, and two other family members.
- Ingram was last seen driving a council-marked Ford Ranger ute and remains at large.
- Police suspect Ingram is receiving outside help and are investigating firearm access.
Police were called to a residence on Friday afternoon where they discovered the bodies of Sophie Quinn, 26, and two other individuals. A third person at the same residence was also shot and remains hospitalized in serious but stable condition, according to police.
Authorities allege the shootings stem from a domestic violence situation. Ingram, a gardener for the Lachlan shire Council, was last seen leaving town in a council-marked ford Ranger ute after the shootings and has remained at large since Friday night.
Police Suspect Ingram Receiving Outside Help
On Saturday, NSW Police Assistant Commissioner andy Holland stated that searches of two properties on Friday night yielded no results. “At this point our search area is widening and we’re looking at other locations in the broader districts,” Holland told reporters. He added,”There is the possibility that people are assisting him to avoid police apprehension. He could be accessing people and we are making contact with known associates trying to cut down those possibilities.”
Ingram, also known as Julian Pierpoint, is described as an experienced bushman capable of surviving for extended periods in remote areas with limited resources. He has a prior criminal history and was released on bail in December after being charged with domestic violence offenses in November. Police granted him bail after assessing him as a low risk, as he hadn’t committed any violent crimes in the preceding five years.
A magistrate approved Ingram’s bail at Lake Cargelligo Local Court on december 3, and an interim apprehended domestic violence order was issued on behalf of Sophie Quinn. As a condition of his bail, ingram was required to report daily to the Lake Cargelligo police station, and he complied with this requirement, reporting at 8:12 a.m. on Thursday, Holland confirmed.
Inquiry Focuses on Firearm Access
Authorities are also investigating how Ingram, who does not possess a firearms licence, allegedly obtained the weapon used in the shootings. lachlan shire Council Mayor John Medcalf expressed shock, stating, “You don’t think of something like this happening out in a community like this.”
Self-reliant state MP roy Butler raised concerns about how someone with a criminal history and no gun license could acquire a firearm. Federal MP Jamie Chaffey said the shootings had “rocked” the community, which had always felt safe. “There’s a lot more investigation to go, but it appears that … at the core of this is domestic violence,” Chaffey said. “we’re seeing far too many women, notably in regional communities … that are losing their lives to domestic violence and it needs to be stamped out.”
Approximately 100 police officers, along with
