Croydon โParkโค Shooting: Man โin โขCustody Afterโค Two-Hourโฃ Standoff
Nick Grimm: Police, armedโข wiht automatic weaponsโฃ and in โขfull tactical gear,โ responded to reports of a shooting in the Sydney suburb of โcroydon Park last night. A 60-year-old man has been taken into custody after allegedly firing a high-powered rifle from a โขsecond-storyโค window for nearly two hours. Residentsโฃ whereโ warned to stay indoors as the situation unfolded, and several people were โinjured, including a man in hisโค 50s currently in critical condition. Reporter Max Tillman is on the scene in croydon Park.
Max Tillman: Police were called to George’s River Road around 7:45 PMโ following reports of indiscriminate gunfire.Authorities estimate between 50โข and 100 shots were โfired, striking cars and even police โคvehicles.This โขprompted a major response, with the area considered an active shooter situation for two hours. Aโฃ man in his 50s suffered โขserious neck and chest wounds and is undergoing emergency surgery.Sixteen others sustained minor injuries, primarily from shattering glass.
(Soundbite:โ Taxi Driver) “I was just happy to be driving by and as Iโ was driving by, I just heard a bang, bang, bang on the left side of โthe car,โ the taxi. And then I looked nextโข to meโค and Iโ saw a couple of โholes through the window right next โto on the โคpassenger side. And I didn’t even realise there was actually a hole on the roof โas well. And I smelled the gunpowder โbut I assume โคbecause it was grand final night,somebody throwing firecrackers or something.”
Nick Grimm: A terrifying experience for those caught in the crossfire.โ Max, what has the policeโ response been?
Max Tillman: The response โขincluded the deployment ofโค the โคBearCat armoured vehicle, specialistโฃ police units,โ andโ a police helicopter.Police have confirmed the arrestโ ofโข the 60-year-old suspect and the seizure of a high-calibre rifle.New South Wales Police Superintendent Stephen Parry provided an update on the โoperation.
(Soundbite: Stephen Parry) โค”We secured the premises in theโ scene fairly quickly.โข Specialist resources were deployed promptly, including aerial support, which we had visual on โฃthe person at variousโ stages and we were confident in the plan that we had and that we’d secured that person within the location and then we executed the successful tactical plan.”
Nick Grimm: New South โขWales Police superintendent Stephen Parry.