Kerang shooting hero foils killer gunman's spree

The identity of a man who bravely took on a gunman believed to be responsible for a suspected murder-suicide in regional Victoria has been revealed.

Ken Byrne, 61, told the Herald Sun he was spurred into action when he heard his neighbour screaming "he is going to kill me", moments after a man armed with a shotgun fired indiscriminately into the Kerang home where six children aged under 14 were on Saturday night.

Mr Byrne allegedly ran from his home next door to find 43-year-old father-of-three Greg Murray choking David Gray, husband of Mr Murray's former partner Sonia.

"I heard David's voice say 'help me, he's going to kill me. When I heard his voice I knew he was in trouble," Mr Byrne told the newspaper.

"When I went out there, here was this guy on top of David with his hands around his neck.

"I grabbed him by the shoulders, picked him up and threw him down on the lawn."

Mr Byrne said the gunman "never said a word" during the alleged attack, that saw Mrs Gray suffer shotgun pellet injuries to her hand and neck.

Her current partner was also suffered pellets wounds to his chest and shoulder.

Swan Hill police Inspector Jamie Templeton said after the gun was wrestled away from Murray, the famer fled in his blue Holden ute.

Mr Murray then drove to his dairy farm 33km outside town, where he allegedly killed a 41-year-old woman – believed to be his current partner – then himself, Insp Templeton said.

Police investigating the earlier shooting discovered their bodies yesterday morning at the Murrabit West property Murray shared with his parents.

It is reported Mr Murray had been separated from his wife, the mother of his three children, for about seven years.

* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, SANE Helpline on 1800 18 SANE (7263) and Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.

Source: Herald Sun
Author: Chloe Ross, Approving editor: Martin Zavan