Lake Cargelligo manhunt underway

In Short

The Incident: Three people were killed and one teen seriously injured in two separate shootings in Lake Cargelligo on Thursday afternoon.

The Suspect: Police are hunting a man in a council-marked Ford Ranger (NSW: DM-07-GZ) with high-vis markings and an emergency light bar.

The Search: Specialist Tactical Operations and Homicide units have expanded their search across Western and Southern NSW.

A large-scale police operation is currently unfolding across the Central West following a series of shootings in Lake Cargelligo yesterday that left three people dead and another seriously injured.

Specialist police units have been deployed to the region to locate a man who remains at large. For residents in the neighboring Hay, Balranald, Carrathool, and Central Darling shires, authorities are advising heightened awareness as the search expands across Western and Southern NSW.

The violence began approximately 4.30pm on Thursday, 22 January 2026. Emergency services were first called to Bokhara Street, where they discovered a 25-year-old woman and a 32-year-old man in a vehicle with gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of first responders, both died at the scene.

Shortly after, a second shooting was reported on Walker Street. A 50-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man were found in a driveway. The woman passed away at the scene, while the young man was transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Strike Force Doberta has been established to lead the investigation. Overnight, the police presence in the region surged as PolAir and Defence Force aircraft transported specialist personnel into the area.

These units include Tactical Operations Unit (TOU), Police Negotiators and Homicide Investigators.

These specialists have joined local general duties and tactical officers from across the Western and Southern regions to assist in the manhunt.

Police are searching for a man described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, approximately 165cm-170cm tall, with a medium build, short dark hair, and brown eyes.

He was last seen operating a vehicle that may blend into the rural landscape—a Ford Ranger utility with NSW registration DM-07-GZ. The vehicle features Council signage, a metal tray back, high-visibility markings on the sides and an emergency light bar on the roof

Police urge residents to be observant.

Anyone who sights the individual or the vehicle is urged not to approach and should contact Triple Zero (000) immediately.

Police are also appealing for anyone in the Lake Cargelligo area with mobile phone footage, dashcam vision, or CCTV to upload it to the official evidence portal.

Anyone with general information regarding the suspect's whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Information is treated in strict confidence.