Melbourne gunman said assault was for ISIS, Al Qaeda

Gunman takes hostage during deadly rampage in Australia

Raw video: Suspect called television station during deadly siege to pledge allegiance to ISIS, Al Qaeda

A Melbourne gunman called a local television station early Monday in the midst of a deadly siege, pledging allegiance to ISIS and Al Qaeda before cops shot him dead to end the rampage.

The unnamed gunman killed one man and wounded three Victoria police officers during the incident, which police are investigating as a potential terror attack, SkyNews.Com.AU reported. A woman who was taken hostage was found unharmed, according to the BBC.

The Herald Sun reported the gunman was known to counterterror investigators.

During the episode, the man, later confirmed by police to be the assailant, called Channel 7 and said “this is for IS,” using a form of the ISIS terror group’s name, and “this is for Al Qaeda.” Channel 7 said a woman was heard screaming in the background.

Police were not sure of the relationship between the gunman and the woman taken hostage. She initially alerted police to the incident when she called an emergency line and reported being held hostage.

The siege in a Brighton apartment building last about two hours before the gunman opened fire as he tried to flee, Sky News reported. Cops at the scene shot the man dead.