Lindt cafe inquiry: Siege tactics not like a Hollywood movie

POLICE considered but quickly rejected the concept of using a shotgun or a sledgehammer to break the bulletproof windows in the Lindt Cafe so snipers could take out gunman Man Monis.

Assistant Commissioner Mick Fuller leaving the Lindt Cafe Siege Inquest today. He told the inquest it would have been too dangerous to blast through the glass to get at Monis. Picture: Craig Wilson

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POLICE considered using a shotgun or a sledgehammer to break the bulletproof windows in the Lindt Cafe so snipers could take out gunman Man Monis, it has been revealed.

But it was ruled out because it would have given Monis time to move, Assistant Commissioner Mick Fuller told the inquest into the December 2014 siege today.

Details of police thinking during the 17-hour siege are trickling out, despite police methodology being protected by lawyers for the force.

Gunman Man Haron Monis.

Mr Fuller, the first commander in charge of the siege for about two hours on December 15, said he had been told the cafe had been a former bank and its windows were bulletproof or bullet resistant.

He said he had not been aware of the considered sledgehammer approach.

“But the risk would not have been worthwhile,” he said.

“To make a shot through, there would have to be a break of the glass first which to me make no sense because it gave the target time to move.”

CCTV footage released as part of the inquest showing six hostages escaping the cafe.

Police storm the building.

Mr Fuller said that storming the cafe would not have been like a Hollywood movie where the bad guy was shot through the eyes and the police walked out.

He said that the lives of the hostages were at risk and it was believed Monis had a bomb in his backpack.

There were three snipers in buildings surrounding the cafe, the inquest has heard.

It has also been revealed that heavily-armed Tactical Response Unit officers had scoped out the fire escapes in the Martin Place building where the cafe is situated and discovered a fire escape that opened out into the Martin Place foyer of the cafe.

The glass doors into the cafe had been unlocked from about 6pm on the first day of the siege as two of the 18 hostages escaped.

It was not until 2.13am the next morning that police stormed the cafe after manager Tori Johnson was shot dead by Monis. Barrister Katrina Dawson died after being hit by a fragment of a police bullet.

The inquest continues in Sydney.