HOLD-UP GANG

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22889, 25 May 1936, Page 10

HOLD-UP GANG

INSPECTOR OF POLICE WOUNDED j MYSTERIOUS MELBOURNE AFFAIR (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) MELBOURNE, May 23. (Received May 24, at 5.5 p.m.) Superintendent John O'ConnelV Brophy, who began duty as chief of the. Victorian Criminal Investigation branch a week ago, was shot in the face and the 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, and the third the back of his neck. The fourth was over the heart, but it was deflected by something in Brophy's pocket. He is not in a serious condition. A Police Press Bureau official, in a , statement, declared that Brophy had been accidentally shot in the' right arm while handling his own pistol at police headquarters. Newspaper reporters, however, who were banned at the detective office, ascertained that Brophy was shot by a holdup gang, who mistook him for a prominent Melbourne bookmaker who habitually carries a large sum of moriey. He resides at the suburb of Parkville. MIRACULOUS ESCAPE SHOTS FIRED AT POINT BLANK RANGE MELBOURNE, May 24. (Received May 24, at 0.30 a.m.) An official police statement declares that Brophy went to Royal Park on Friday night to try to catch car bandits who were operating in that locality. He was himself held up by two armed men ; who apparently recognised him and fired three shots before Brophy could manipulate his own revolver, which jammed. 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. The third was deflected from his heart by the buckle of his braces.