MELBOURNE CRIME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 25 May 1936, Page 5

MELBOURNE CRIME

POLICE SUPERINTENDENT WOUNDED SHOT AT BY CAR BANDITS MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM DEATH (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) MELBOURNE, 24th May. Superintendent John O’Connell Brophy, who began duty as Chief of the Victorian Criminal Investigation Branch a week ago, was shot in the face and right arm in some mysterious manner. The Police Department is exceedingly reticent. It is reported that four shots were fired by a gangster from a car, one bullet striking Brophy’s cheek, another his right arm, a third the back of his neck and a fourth over the heart, but it was deflected by something in his pocket. He is not in a serious condition.

A Police Press Bureau official, in a statement, declared that Superintendent Brophy was accidentally shot in the right arm while handling his own pistol at police headquarters. Newspaper reporters, who were banned at the detective office, however, ascertained that Brophy was shot by a hold-up gang who mistook him for a prominent Melbourne bookmaker who habitually carries a large sum of money and resides at Parkville suburb.

An official police statement declares that Superintendent Brophy went to the Royal Park on Friday night to try and catch car bandits, who were operating in that locality, but was himself held up by two armed men who apparently recognised him and fuea th-'e shots before Brophy was able to manipulate his own revolver, which jammeci. One bullet passed through Brophy’s lower jaw, just missed a vital artery, and emerged at the back of the neck. Another broke his right wrist, and a third was deflected from the heart by a braces buckles TAXI-DRIVERS IN SYDNEY EPIDEMIC OTHOLD-UPS PERMISSION ASKED TO CARRY FIREARMS SYDNEY, 24 th May. There has been an epidemic of hold-ups of taxi drivers in Sydney during recent months. The position is so menacing that drivers are seeking permission to carry firearms. Two more were robbed last night by armed men who commandeered their cars and compelled the drivers to ride in the rear seat to lonely parts.- where they relieved them of their money. The police to-night arrested two men suspected of this ciass of crime.