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Topic:Crime
Little Bourke Street was blocked off during an incident in Melbourne's CBD. (ABC News)
A man has been charged after he allegedly assaulted a worker, then carjacked two vehicles in Melbourne's west and inner north before driving erratically through the CBD.
Police say the gun the man allegedly pointed at several people was an imitation firearm. 
The 48-year-old Hoppers Crossing man will face the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. 
Police have charged a 48-year-old man after he allegedly carjacked two vehicles and drove erratically through the Melbourne CBD.
Earlier reports stated that the man was also wielding a gun; however, police confirmed on Tuesday night that the weapon was a fake. 
Police said they charged the man with attempted aggravated burglary, attempted aggravated carjacking, aggravated carjacking with imitation firearm, possessing an imitation firearm, assault and threats to kill. 
He is due to face the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
Police said the Hoppers Crossing man had been driving with his wife at about 8am on Tuesday when his vehicle ran out of petrol.
"He was quite distressed and he was going to go to the police station to make a complaint," Acting Inspector Emma Lobb said.
"I'm not too sure what the complaint was about.
"He has run out of petrol and from there he's become quite agitated."
Acting Inspector Emma Lobb spoke to reporters at the scene of the arrest. (ABC News)
It's alleged he then attended a convenience store in Tarneit, in Melbourne's west, and assaulted an attendant he approached with a jerry can. 
The worker sustained minor injuries.
Police alleged the man then fled on foot and attempted to steal a car while armed with a gun — now confirmed to have been an imitation firearm.
"He pointed the firearm at the occupant and demanded the vehicle," a police spokesperson said.  
"The occupant refused and ran to a nearby store."
Police said the man approached another vehicle stopped at the intersection and made demands for it while "pointing a firearm at the victim's head".
Officers alleged he then carjacked a second person at gunpoint before making his way into the CBD.
The second allegedly stolen vehicle was dumped at Lonsdale Street before the man fled on foot. 
Humberto Aguilar was a guest at the hotel where the man was eventually arrested and said he was in the lobby when the man ran in.
He alleged the offender pointed a gun at him before police ran in and apprehended him.
"He put the gun on me. I had my back to the wall," Mr Aguilar said.
He said he was visiting Melbourne from Mexico for the Melbourne Marathon on the weekend.
A Mexican tourist alleges he had a gun pointed at him in the hotel lobby. (ABC News)
Geoff, a chef at the Lancemore Crossley St hotel, said he had been coming out of the bathroom in the lobby and heard a scream.
"I just saw this gun pointing at me and sort of waving and this guy screaming," he said.
"I just ran out … It felt shocking. You're sort of wondering what's happening here in Melbourne."
Hotel chef Geoff says he was also caught up in the incident. (ABC News)
Another witness, a worker called Nazer, was working on Little Bourke Street when he heard people yelling that a man had a gun and to run.
He said he saw police chasing a man before shooting a rubber bullet at him.
He said it missed the man and instead hit his car.
Worker Nazer saw police fire a rubber bullet at a man during an incident in Melbourne's CBD on October 14, 2025. (ABC News: Jessica Longbottom)
Another witness said he had just got off a bus on his way to school when he saw a vehicle driving erratically near Flinders Street, sounding his horn at people and driving on the footpath.
"All I heard was beep, beep, beep," the teenage boy said.
Nazer says police shot a rubber bullet at the man but it missed. (ABC News: Jessica Longbottom)
An ABC News crew saw a car speeding down tram tracks on busy Spencer Street with a male driver yelling out the car window.
They said the vehicle had its hazard lights on and was following a Victoria Police crime scene van.
Two unmarked police vans followed later.
The incident ended in Little Bourke Street. (ABC News)
The man was eventually arrested by members of the Critical Incident Response Team and Special Operations Group.
Victoria Police said the man was injured while being arrested and was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. 
Video footage from the scene shows a handcuffed man being walked by police down the stairs of the hotel to an ambulance stretcher with blood on his face.
The man was dressed in a sports jacket, a business shirt and long pants.
The arrested man was taken away in an ambulance. (ABC News)
Little Bourke Street was closed near Chinatown as police combed through the area at about 11am.
No members of the public were physically hurt during the incident.
Premier Jacinta Allan has thanked Victoria Police for officers' response.
"Police moved swiftly, dealt with this situation quickly," she said.
"Melbourne's CBD is safe and in large part that is because of the work of Victoria Police in being on the streets, responding quickly to incidents like this."
Anyone with more information or dashcam footage has been urged to contact the police.
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