Police widen search for man after axe attack on family in eastern Victoria
In eastern Victoria are still searching for 48-year-old Peter O’Ryan after an axe attack on his parents and brother left three people in hospital
Police in eastern Victoria are still searching for 48-year-old Peter O’Ryan after an axe attack on his parents and brother left three people in hospital with serious injuries. Authorities say he is not believed to pose a threat to the wider public, but they are urging anyone who spots him to call police immediately.
The attack happened on Saturday at a home in Tyers, about two hours east of Melbourne. The case has jolted the small community and pulled in extra police resources across the Latrobe Valley. The search is active. Still active.
Hospitalisations and a warrant
O’Ryan allegedly attacked his elderly parents and brother at the Cowies Road property, according to police. A warrant has been issued for his arrest, and investigators are continuing their work at the home.
The 76-year-old father and 47-year-old brother were flown to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne with life-threatening injuries. The 74-year-old mother was also taken to hospital in critical condition.
All three victims are now in stable condition, police said.
Police search across the Latrobe Valley
Detective Inspector Mark Rossiter said officers had searched the immediate area around the home but did not find O’Ryan. Extra police had been deployed to help with the manhunt.
“We searched the areas in the immediate vicinity of the residential premises with no luck,” he said.
Police have asked the public to stay alert and report any possible sightings rather than approach the wanted man. They say their assessment is that he does not present a threat to public safety, but the search remains a priority.
The case adds to a grim pattern seen in police work around the world: when a suspect disappears after a violent attack inside a family home, the first hours often turn into a wider, slower search, with officers relying on public tips and local knowledge. In this case, that search is now spread across the Latrobe Valley, with the Cowies Road property still under investigation and one man still on the run.
Police say O’Ryan was last the focus of search efforts on the ground, and the arrest warrant remains in force as officers continue to follow leads. The manhunt has so far come up empty, and the victims remain in stable condition after their flights to hospital.
