Police say bullet fired by alleged gunman in Windang hit house 3km away

A bullet fired by a masked gunman who allegedly took aim at pedestrians and cars in a busy Illawarra street pierced a home’s garage roof 3km away, police believe. 

Gun experts say a bullet shot from the top right of the red line could potentially travel 3km to land in the bottom left. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

A bullet fired by a masked gunman who allegedly took aim at pedestrians and cars in a busy Illawarra street pierced a home’s garage roof 3km away, police believe. 

The couple who discovered the bullet at their Mount Warrigal house last Sunday morning had no idea the bizarre discovery had any link to the dramatic scenes unfolding some three suburbs away in Windang.

While shop owners and their customers, motorists and residents scrambled for cover in Windang, residents of Hogan Ave, Mount Warrigal, thought “someone had died” as police and forensic crews arrived in their street. 

A man with a gun at Windang last Sunday.

Police on the scene. Picture: Richard Dobson

This week the couple said Sunday’s ordeal was one they would rather forget. 

“We are well thank you, we just want to move on,” they said. 

When they called police after discovering the bullet lodged in their garage, heavily armed specialist officers were rushing to Windang after reports a masked man, clad entirely in black, was seen firing a Mauser .308 rifle several times on the main street. 

Simon Fleming is accused of marching out of a Windang home, telling his mum he wanted to “suicide by cop” before firing random shots, then barricading himself inside a nearby dive shop, taking hostages.

He was eventually arrested and has been in custody since, awaiting his next court appearance on multiple firearm charges.

A bullet allegedly fired near the Windang Dive Shop …

… is believed to have ended up in this house, 3km away. Pictures: Sam Ruttyn

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal police officers returned to Fleming’s residence this week after learning there was one of six firearms registered to him that was unaccounted for.

“There was the Mauser .308 recovered at the time of the arrest, then a further four firearms were found at Fleming’s house, leaving a further firearm not recovered,” a source said.

“We received specific information that the final rifle was hidden in the roof cavity.” 

Sources say the rifle was a 1941 Mauser .308 bolt action rifle. 

University of Sydney gun control expert Associate Professor Philip Alpers said while the type of gun allegedly used by Fleming was “very powerful”, it would need to be fired at a very particular angle for it to travel 3km to Mount Warrigal.

“The 3km range is very unusual but it is conceivable,” he said.

“The reason for that is that 99.9 per cent of people are firing toward the horizon, which means gravity will drag the bullet down. However, if you were to fire at 40 to 50 degrees or into the air, it’s conceivable a bullet could travel that far.”

Windang Dive Shop owner and former soldier Keith Woods was allegedly taken hostage by the man. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Windang Dive Shop owner Keith Woods and his employee Neil Hay told of their ordeal on Thursday as they reopened their shop for the first time. 

After a man barged in with a suitcase and started screaming, Mr Woods, who served in the military for 15 years, used his training to stay calm, and tried to de-escalate the situation as Fleming allegedly pointed one of two guns at him and his employee.

“I’ve been in Iraq, I’ve been shot at, I’ve had bombs going off everywhere, having (the gun) that close to me wasn’t the problem,” Mr Woods said.

As Fleming allegedly ranted about not wearing a mask and against Covid-19 vaccinations, Mr Woods said he quickly realised the man holding him hostage was mentally unwell. 

After a few minutes, Fleming allegedly ordered Mr Woods out of the shop to deliver a message to police.

But as he stepped out of the dive store, Mr Woods was removed from the area by several tactical police.

With security cameras installed inside the shop, Mr Woods was able to show police exactly what was going on inside, as Mr Hay remained a hostage.

A satellite image of the area where the bullet was shot from (top right) and where it is believed to have landed (bottom left). Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“I just stayed calm, tried to talk to the gentleman and you could tell that he did need help,” Mr Hay said.

“Maybe it’s survival instincts but all I really worried about was Keith, with his military background I was just glad he was out.” 

After several minutes, Fleming released Mr Hay and surrendered to the elite Tactical Operations Unit, bomb disposal unit and negotiators who were waiting outside and took him into police custody.

Police raided his home, just a two-minute walk from the dive shop, minutes later, where police allegedly uncovered a Nazi flag, two unsecured firearms, military knives, a police uniform, five gel blaster firearms, and six other replica handguns. 

By all accounts, Fleming was a hermit, not often seen outside of his home, and suffered from mental health issues for which he is medicated. 

Police Minister David Elliott. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Flavio Brancaleone

Mr Woods is now asking why Fleming was ever allowed to possess a firearm, despite holding a licence, while diagnosed as mentally unwell.

“This is a small community, things like this just do not happen here,” he said. “It’s unthinkable that he would have (access to these) weapons.”

After the incident, NSW Police Minister David Elliott confirmed Mr Fleming suffered from mental health issues and said an investigation was under way into how he obtained a firearms license. 

“The mere fact that he did have mental health issues and the mere fact that he still had a firearm is certainly something that will be reviewed,” he said. 

Knowing from his time in the military just how dangerous the weapons Fleming had were, Mr Woods said people in Australia had no reason to possess them, licensed or not.

“Look at the bullet that landed in Mount Warrigal — you have no idea where it’s going to land,” he said. 

“No one should have a semiautomatic weapon, a rifle, yes if you live on a farm but that should be it.”

Mr Woods said reopening was difficult, due to his PTSD from the military.

“Driving in to work was a little chaotic, I was looking for the police everywhere,” he said.

“But I think the longer you leave it the harder it gets.” 

Fleming is facing charges of shooting a firearm at a dwelling with disregard for safety, shooting a firearm in a manner likely to injure persons/property, detain person with intent to obtain advantage, using a prohibited firearm, not keep a firearm safely, and possessing child abuse material.

He was refused bail earlier this week and will return to court next year.

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