Man Detained In the Wake of a Minimum of 50 Bullets Fired from Sydney Unit

A man in his sixties was taken into custody after at least one person was shot, multiple individuals harmed and multiple cars fired upon by a gunman in the Croydon Park area.

Up to 100 shots rang out across a span of two hours between 7.45pm and 9.30pm on Sunday night in the suburb of Croydon Park.

Police Initiate Major Operation

Roads were shut down and the area was placed in lockdown after authorities initiated a large-scale response following accounts a man was indiscriminately firing towards drivers, including police cars, driving on the Georges River Road route.

The tactical police unit was called in to detain an individual in his sixties from an apartment situated over a shop along the busy road.

Police Leadership Give An Account

Superintendent Stephen Parry in an acting capacity stated to journalists late Sunday precise figures were not available regarding the total number of rounds discharged “but there could have been anywhere between 50 and 100 shots which were shot”.

He said multiple cars and buildings were hit by bullets and incurred damage over the course of the occurrence, but a clearer picture would be available in daylight.

Parry said the area was made safe “relatively swiftly” and commended the participating police.

“They exhibited exceptional courage by carrying out their duties,” he informed the media during a press briefing held late at night.

“They encountered swift shooting multiple times and deserve full recognition due to their conduct.”

He was unable to confirm if police discharged their firearms as well in the course of the incident.

Commissioner Describes Alarming Situation

Mal Lanyon, the NSW Police Commissioner stated law enforcement's wearable cameras showed the proximity of officers to being struck as they took cover amid the "critical and alarming situation".

“One can hear a multitude of firearm discharges, and clear strikes, in close proximity to the camera,” Lanyon told Sydney radio 2GB on Monday morning.

An officer who was fired upon was a recent academy graduate for five weeks, Lanyon said.

The reason behind the shooting remains under investigation however, Lanyon indicated no association was found with terrorist or gang-related actions.

Harm and Fallout

Paramedics treated sixteen individuals on site for minor injuries.

• Certain individuals were hurt due to flying glass fragments when their windows were struck by bullets.
• Others were treated for shock.

Several individuals were admitted to medical facilities after being treated by paramedics.

A taxi driver who is in his 50s remained in serious yet stable condition suffering from injuries to his neck and head.

Unprecedented Incident for the City

It came down to chance that further casualties were avoided, Trent King, the acting assistant commissioner commented.

“It’s unprecedented for Sydney to witness an occurrence of this kind, involving such an extensive volume of gunfire,” he informed the ABC radio station on Monday.

“It is very fortunate that we didn’t have more damage and certainly more injuries or indeed fatalities.”

King mentioned it likely was alarming for the general public and the police who responded.

“To clarify those initial police were fired upon. Our police cars have been damaged and we’re very fortunate that no officers sustained injuries.”

Alleged Shooter in Detention

The male suspect aged 60 was held by authorities in Bankstown hospital and was expected to be questioned and officially charged during Monday.

Firearms, including a high-calibre rifle, were taken into custody upon his detention, authorities claimed.

Witness Testimony

An individual who witnessed the shooting reported to the ABC he was traveling nearby and “heard a bang, bang, bang on the taxi's left flank”.

“Subsequently, I glanced beside me, and I spotted a few openings in the window on the passenger side,” he stated.

“And I didn’t realise that the roof had a hole too. And I smelled the gunpowder, however, I presumed because it was [NRL] grand final night, it might be someone setting off firecrackers or similar.”