Police have launched a manhunt across metropolitan Perth in search of a 53-year-old man believed to be armed with a firearm who they say poses a potential risk to the public.
Perth residents have been warned not to approach Jason James Cockie, who police described as 175 centimetres tall, of solid build and with greying brown hair.
Detective Senior Constable Damian Webb said extensive police resources had been devoted to the search, and appealed to Mr Cockie to hand himself into police.
“It’s concerning that a person may be in possession of a firearm in our community,” he said.
Detective Webb said a gunshot had been fired into a home in the northern Perth suburb of Clarkson at about 10pm on Tuesday, and police believed Mr Cockie could help them with their inquiries into the matter.
Damian Webb says there are concerns about Jason James Cockie possessing a firearm. (ABC News: Lily Kristanto)
One person was inside the house at the time, but had not been injured.
“There was damage to a house but there were no injuries to any person,” he said.
Firearms, ammunition seized
Detective Webb, who is from Joondalup Police, said a search of nearby houses in the same street had uncovered firearms, ammunition, drugs and cash.
Two people had been taken into custody as a result, including a 29-year-old man who has been charged with a variety of firearm and drug offences.
Police seized firearms, ammunition and cash from a Clarkson house. (Supplied: WA Police)
He is due in a Perth court on Thursday.
“We believe that Mr Cockie is known to the persons at one of the houses, but our main priority at the moment is to locate Mr Cockie as we believe he may pose a risk to the community,” Detective Webb said.
Police arrest a man in Clarkson. (Supplied: WA Police)
He said police had searched a number of places Mr Cockie was known to frequent, to no avail.
“We’re not going to stop until we find Mr Cockie, so the easiest thing to do is [for him] to contact us and surrender to us,” he said.