At least one person has died in a high-speed car chase through the centre of the Melbourne CBD that saw numerous pedestrians run down and gunshots fired, ending with a dramatic arrest on Bourke Street.
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About 20 people are believed to have been injured, many seriously.
A maroon-coloured sedan was being pursued by police around 1:40pm when it crossed into the pedestrian-only section of Bourke Street Mall, driving erratically along the popular shopping strip.
Witness Rebecca Russo told Fairfax Media she saw three people hit by the car as it speed through the mall with police in pursuit.
"We were just standing on Bourke Street, and we heard a bit of a crash coming from the mall. I saw a maroon car driving up the pedestrian path on the Flinders Street side.
"People were running out of the way, they were going very very fast. I saw him hit a few people. I saw bodies flying into the air."
Emergency services have reported they are treating of number of injured at the scene, which is outside to the historic Melbourne GPO building.
The vehicle then crossed over Elizabeth Street, heading west along Bourke Street when other witnesses reported hearing gunshots.
Shortly afterwards, armed police surrounded the maroon car and dragged a single occupant from the vehicle. He was restrained and stripped down to his underwear, according to video and photos posted by observers in nearby buildings.
The vehicle is heavily damaged, with the hood crumpled in and a smashed windscreen.
