A woman was discovered dead at the National Zoo and Aquarium after being stabbed, leading to the arrest of a 29-year-old man.
The incident happened on Monday around 12:50 pm, prompting a swift response from ACT police and emergency services.
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The victim, a 29-year-old woman, and the person of interest were identified as coworkers at the zoo, living in the Canberra suburb of Oaks Estate.
Detective Superintendent Hall O’Meagher of ACT Criminal Investigations revealed in a press conference that while the nature of their relationship outside of work remains unknown, they were colleagues at the zoo.
Detective Superintendent O’Meagher said: “It’s apparent at this stage that the deceased died as a result of stab wounds.”
The 29-year-old male suspect was taken into custody and transported to Canberra Hospital under police guard.
He was found in a stable condition with what seemed to be self-inflicted wounds.
While no charges have been laid, a homicide investigation is underway.
Witnesses reported hearing loud screams from the commercial kitchen area, leading them to the zoo’s storeroom.
“It’s important to state at this stage there is no ongoing threat to the ACT community, and the incident appears to be contained to that location of the incident itself,” he added.
In a Facebook statement, the National Zoo and Aquarium expressed the profound impact of the tragic event on its staff members.
Tours were canceled for a day, with operations expected to resume on Wednesday.
The statement urged respect for the privacy of affected staff and provided trauma counseling for all employees.
Police urge anyone with information is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers, quoting reference number 7623644.
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