Western Australian police have issued a direct and personal appeal to an alleged fugitive, urging him to hand himself in following a shooting incident at a vast rural property in the state's Mid West region.
Major Search Operation Underway
The significant police operation was launched after authorities were called to a property on Urawa Road, near Mullewa, approximately 450 kilometres north of Perth, late on Wednesday afternoon. Reports indicated a person had been shot during a disturbance involving individuals known to each other.
Superintendent Neil Vanderplank fronted media on Thursday to make a direct appeal. "This is a personal plea to Kenneth John Giles to please hand himself into police," he stated.
Despite deploying substantial resources, including heavily armed officers and aerial support, there has been no sign of the 58-year-old Giles or the Nissan Patrol ute he is believed to be travelling in.
Limited Information and Bushman Skills
The injured woman, who suffered a gunshot wound to her hand, was airlifted to Perth for medical treatment. Police have not yet been able to formally interview her. At least four other people, including children, were present at the property at the time of the incident.
Superintendent Vanderplank acknowledged the challenge of the search, noting police are working with limited information about the direction Giles may have taken. "As you can probably appreciate out in the bush there's a lot of places to sneak out and a lot of shacks and disused mines and things like that so we'll be conducting a very thorough search of the area," he explained.
This challenge is compounded by reports from the public highlighting Giles' reputed experience as a bushman with intimate knowledge of the local terrain.
Public Urged Not to Approach
While police do not believe there is a broader risk to the general public, they have warned that Giles should not be approached if sighted. "Just give (police) a ring. We just want to get him safely into our custody and we can deal with what we need to deal with," Superintendent Vanderplank said.
Authorities have provided a description of Giles: he is approximately 173cm tall with a medium build, brown hair, and brown eyes. The number of firearms he may potentially be carrying remains unclear.
The search continues with police operating on the belief that Giles has not yet left the local area.
