Police in New South Wales have escalated their search for a suspected triple murderer following an unconfirmed sighting of the fugitive in the state's central west region. The development marks the first potential lead since the horrific shootings that claimed three lives last Thursday.
Reported Sighting Triggers Massive Police Response
Authorities received reports early on Sunday morning of a possible sighting of Julian Ingram at Mount Hope, approximately seventy kilometres north of Lake Cargelligo where the initial tragedy unfolded. While the sighting remains unverified, tactical police units with air support have been deployed en masse to scour the vast rural properties in the area.
NSW Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland addressed the media, confirming that police were acting on the possibility that the sighting could indeed be the suspect. "There have been public witnesses who have identified what they believe to be the offender," Holland stated. "It's a possible sighting, there is no confirmation that it is the offender, but obviously we're acting on the fact that it could well be him."
Details of the Thursday Afternoon Tragedy
The manhunt centres on Julian Ingram, a thirty-seven-year-old man also known as Julian Pierpoint, who is suspected of carrying out a deadly shooting spree in Lake Cargelligo on Thursday afternoon. The victims include his pregnant former partner, twenty-five-year-old Sophie Quinn, her new boyfriend John Harris, and Sophie's aunt, fifty-year-old Nerida Quinn.
According to police reports, the first incident occurred on Bokhara Street around 4:20 PM, where Sophie Quinn and John Harris were shot while inside a vehicle. Officers were then called to Walker Street following reports of another shooting, where they discovered Nerida Quinn and nineteen-year-old Kaleb Macqueen shot in a driveway. Nerida Quinn died at the scene, while Macqueen remains hospitalised in serious but stable condition.
Suspect's Knowledge of the Terrain
Assistant Commissioner Holland revealed that Ingram, who worked as a brushcutter for the local council, possesses intimate knowledge of the Mount Hope area. The region contains brushcutting camps with food supplies, though the reported sighting did not occur in that specific location. Holland declined to specify whether Ingram was reportedly seen on foot or in a vehicle.
"It's an area he has frequented before," Holland explained. "And he has very good knowledge of the area. We think he is on his own at this present time, but we can't rule out he's being assisted by locals."
Ongoing Investigation and Community Concerns
Police are still working to confirm which firearms Ingram may have obtained and how he acquired them, noting that he has never held a NSW firearms licence. The last confirmed sighting of the suspect occurred on Thursday as he drove north out of Lake Cargelligo toward Mount Hope in a white single cab Ford Ranger utility vehicle.
While Holland stated that no threats had been reported against other members of the public, family members of the victims have expressed feeling unsafe while Ingram remains at large. "We're supporting the families involved," Holland assured. "We'll make sure those people feel safe. There are no threats from Mr Ingram towards any other person that we are aware of at this point."
Challenges of the Search Operation
The search operation faces significant challenges due to the region's geography, with some properties in the Mount Hope area exceeding four hundred thousand hectares in size. Weather conditions present additional difficulties, with temperatures forecast to reach the mid to high forties Celsius over the coming week.
Holland praised the cooperation of local residents while cautioning against misinformation circulating on social media platforms. "Some of the posts that are going up on social media are just ridiculous," he remarked. "We need to be talking about information that is fact, and if you have facts please contact the police."
Ingram was on bail relating to domestic violence allegations made by Sophie Quinn at the time of the shootings. The investigation continues as police maintain their intensive search across the challenging terrain of New South Wales' central west region.
