The suspected gunman David Paul Rowntree, 19. Police believe Rowntree embarked on a violent crime spree starting at 3am today that culminated later in the morning with the lockdown of Melbourne’s sporting precinct, including the MCG and Rod Laver Arena, and a large swathe of Melbourne’s public transport system. Rowntree’s rap sheet includes arson, criminal damage, handling stolen goods and multiple counts of car theft, burglary and theft. "I consider him to be extremely dangerous," Superintendent Rod Wilson said, while urging people to stay away from him and call police immediately if he was sighted. "Obviously, all our resources are now committed to bringing Mr Rowntree into custody before anyone is injured, before he’s injured or any members of the public or police are injured."

At 3am, Rowntree is believed to have stolen an Audi vehicle from a home in Knutsford Drive in Balwyn and driven to a United service station on Bulleen Road. Masked and armed with a shotgun, he allegedly robbed the store before driving to a house in Walsh Street, Balwyn, entering while the occupants were sleeping and robbing the house. Police believe he then targeted the house next door, where he stole cash and a blue Holden Commodore. His whereabouts was unknown until 9.30am, when police spotted him driving in Camberwell and launched a pursuit. Witnesses to the car chase described seeing a blue VZ Holden Commodore SS sedan travelling at up to 130km/h on the city-bound lanes of the Monash Freeway before the entrance to the Burnley Tunnel about 9.45am.

Superintendent Wilson said up to four cars were hit in the chase, including an unmarked police station wagon and a Mitsubishi outlander 4WD. Both vehicles were badly damaged. Rowntree is believed to have driven into the Rod Laver arena carpark and ditched the vehicle before fleeing over a footbridge from the Hisense Arena. Police discovered a shotgun and a balaclava in a bin not far from Rod Laver arena. Police quickly cordoned off the area and conducted a search involving 50 officers, including the elite Special Operations Group, dog squad and air wing. However, Rowntree evaded the search, and police said he may even had escaped from the area on public transport before it was shut down.

Superintendent Wilson said Rowntree, who was known to police, was believed to have been staying in the Hawthorn area. Players from both the Melbourne Demons AFL team, which is having its first official training day at the new AAMI Park facility, and the Melbourne Victory A-League team were caught up in the incident, with both teams told to stay indoors for about two hours. The lockdown appeared to finish about 12.15pm, when MCG security said it was safe for staff to move out of the stadium. The gunman was originally described as being of Spanish appearance with straight dark hair and wearing a dark jacket, red or orange T-shirt and silver tracksuit pants. Later in the day, police released a photo of Rowntree in a bid to track him down.

Radio 3AW caller Chris said the pursuit on the Monash had been like a scene "from an American TV show". "It was unbelievable," he said. "Just the speed and (he was) very erratic. There’s no room to weave on the Monash." Chris said the gunman "came flying down the embankment to bypass all the cars coming onto the Monash". He said he saw the driver "shove" one of the police cars.

"He missed me by millimetres," he said. A delivery driver who arrived at the MCG was told to stay in his vehicle. "[Police] are everywhere," the driver told 3AW. "Up Punt Road and down Brunton Avenue." Trains into Melbourne’s central business district resumed about midday after the lockdown caused chaos on the metropolitan network for more than two hours. Loading

Trams were also cancelled during the lockdown. Batman Avenue, Brunton Avenue and Swan Street were also closed but are now open in both directions.