Victoria Police has stood by its officers following a dramatic arrest at a petrol station in Windsor, Melbourne, where a woman allegedly armed with a makeshift flame thrower assaulted an attendant and ignited a fire inside the 7-Eleven store around 12:30 am. Eyewitness footage captured the woman directing flames, reportedly created from an aerosol can and lighter, at a staff member’s face and then igniting a pile of wood inside the premises.
When police arrived and attempted to arrest her, she resisted, prompting officers to use batons and a Taser. Witness Matt Young described the scene as frightening, highlighting the potential danger posed by the fire near petrol bowsers. Acting Superintendent Josh Tink defended the officers’ actions, noting they were responding to an immediate threat and were supported by professional standards command.
The fire was quickly extinguished, and while the store sustained minor damage, the 46-year-old woman was arrested and subsequently charged with criminal damage, theft, resisting police, and assault. She has been released on bail, scheduled to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court on May 2.