Dramatic video of man firing shots at Windang, near Wollongong

A man has surrendered to police after allegedly walking the streets firing shots and taking a hostage in a dive shop in Windang, south of Sydney. See the video here.

A Windang gunman dressed entirely in black and carrying a silver briefcase fired shots down a busy Illawarra street and at cars carrying people, sparking a stand-off with police.

The 40 year old, armed with two long arm firearms, surrendered himself after taking a local dive shop owner hostage.

Just before 9.30 on Sunday morning police responded to reports a man armed with a semiautomatic weapon was firing randomly, before taking a hostage in a dive shop.

Specialist teams and negotiators attended the area, after the call went out that an “active shooter” was on the loose and police said it was being treated as a siege situation.

Yhe arrest of a gunman seen firing shots on a busy street in Windang, near Wollongong.

Video shot by a witness.

The man fired a number of shots at passing vehicles and pedestrians, before barricading himself inside the nearby dive shop.

“There were a number of cars that were damaged by the firearm,” Assistant Commissioner Joseph Cassar said at a press conference on Sunday afternoon.

“One of the vehicles I am told was empty but I’m told there was an individual that was inside another car but again that’s not to say there were more cars.”

The man allegedly then entered the Windang Dive & Spearfishing Store and police established a perimeter to negotiate with the man.

“Police were able to engage the 40-year-old man and we believe the 40-year-old man is a windang man,” Assistant Commissioner Joseph Casser said.

“And it was through those conversations that he subsequently released the only other employee from the shop.”

Video shot by a witness.

Video shot by a witness.

Video shot by a witness.

“Conversations and negotiations continued with police on the scene to a point where he surrendered to police and was taken into custody.”

NSW police have also seized a silver briefcase and backpack which the man was carrying.

“Those items were taken to the business, they are still at the scene,” Assistant Commissioner Joseph Casser said.

“We’ve had the bomb and rescue unit go in there, examine the items and render and render the whole incident safe.”

“The mechanics of the physical items as well if there are any powders or liquids they will be examined.”

Social media vision shows the man dressed in black carrying a weapon, circling around traffic and firing a gun into the air.

“I’m scared … I’m really scared,” a witness videoing the incident on Sunday morning said.

Police are searching a car at the possible address of a man arrested earlier walking the streets with a balaclava and rifle. Picture: Richard Dobson

“We were walking a dog around the park and heard what we thought were nail guns but, no, they were gunshots,” Windang local Leanne Woodley told The Daily Telegraph.

“A police officer came running up Kurrajong St, called out to us ‘active shooter on the run, get back’.”

Police have cordoned off the dive shop and the man’s Windang home as investigations into the incident continue.

NSW Police assistant commissioner Joseph Cassar said the man was a registered firearm holder and was acting alone.

There were two employees that were inside the store.

A crime scene has been established at the dive shop, and at a home at Windang, which will be examined by specialist forensic officers and police from the rescue and bomb disposal unit.

There is no ongoing threat to the community and no injuries have been reported, police said.

One of those employees was able to get out of the store before he was noticed.

MAN FIRES SHOTS ON BUSY STREET

A man has peacefully surrendered to police after allegedly walking the streets firing shots and taking a hostage in Windang, south of Sydney.

Earlier, police responded to reports a man armed with a semiautomatic weapon was firing randomly, before taking a hostage in a dive shop.

Specialist teams and negotiators attended the area, after the call went out that an “active shooter” was on the loose soon after 9am.

A police spokesman said no casualties have been reported.

During the situation, police said it was being treated as a siege situation.

Social media vision shows the man dressed in black carrying a weapon, circling around traffic and firing a gun into the air.
“I’m scared … I’m really scared,” a witness videoing the incident on Sunday morning said.

“We were walking a dog around the park and heard what we thought were nail guns but, no, they were gunshots,” Windang local Leanne Woodley told The Daily Telegraph.

“A police officer came running up Kurrajong St, called out to us ‘active shooter on the run, get back’.”

After the man surrendered about 10am, NSW Deputy Police commissioner Mal Lanyon said “we believe there may have been up to five shots fired” — all thought to be by the gunman.
“Early this morning police had reports a man armed with a long arm had discharged a number of shots in Windang,” he said.

“That male subsequently went into a dive shop in premises at Windang at which stage further police and technical police were called.”