Two police officers were injured, one of them seriously, after an armed man opened fire on officers during a tense hours-long standoff in St Julian's on Friday, before eventually surrendering to police.

The seriously injured officer was shot in the neck and face and was rushed to Mater Dei Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Another officer sustained slight injuries during the incident.

The operation began at around 10.30am when police were informed of what is believed to have been an arson attempt involving a crane basket carrying construction workers in the area.

According to a police spokesman, the man - who was later named as John Agius - who later barricaded himself inside a residence is the same individual seen in a video allegedly setting fire beneath the crane basket while workers were on board.

Police immediately responded to the scene and arrested one person. However, another man fled to a nearby residence in Birkirkara Hill, where he barricaded himself while armed with a firearm.

Officers established a security perimeter around the building and initially attempted to make contact with the suspect. As police tried to enter the residence, shots were fired from inside the building, slightly injuring one officer.

Given the escalating situation, additional police units, including members of the Rapid Intervention Unit, were deployed to the scene, together with ambulances, Civil Protection Department firefighters and other emergency personnel.

During a subsequent attempt to enter the residence, the suspect again opened fire on the officers. A second officer was struck in the neck and face and collapsed outside the building. He was dragged to safety by fellow officers before receiving emergency treatment from paramedics at the scene. He was then rushed to Mater Dei Hospital in a critical condition, where he underwent emergency surgery.

As the operation continued, a large number of police officers surrounded the residence, with the suspect at one point seen looking out from a window while refusing repeated orders to surrender.

Using a megaphone, police repeatedly informed the man that he was surrounded and instructed him to exit the building with his hands visible and to follow police instructions. Despite the repeated appeals, the suspect refused to leave the residence for more than two hours hours.

The surrounding area remained sealed off throughout the operation, with traffic diverted from both ends of the road as heavily armed police maintained their positions around the building.

After a prolonged standoff, the man eventually surrendered to police and was taken into custody without further shots being fired, bringing the operation to an end.

The police spokesman said that the two men arrested are Maltese.

Magistrate Joe Mifsud is leading an inquiry into the incident, while police investigations into both the shooting and the alleged arson attempt are ongoing.

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