Hunt continues for man with shotgun who sparked lockdown in Sydney's inner west
Quick Look
- An armed man who threatened residents with a shotgun and set fire to a stolen van in Dulwich Hill remains at large after a three-hour police lockdown involving riot squad, bulletproof vests, police dogs and a helicopter.
- Police are seeking dash-cam, CCTV or mobile phone footage from the public to assist in identifying the suspect, described as a Caucasian male about 20 years old, 160cm tall, with shaggy brown hair, wearing a blue T-shirt and black pants.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Police launched a large-scale operation after a man set fire to a stolen van at an apartment block in Dulwich Hill, having allegedly threatened residents with a shotgun during the incident.
In short:
An armed man who sparked the locking down of an inner west neighbourhood on Friday remains at large.
The man, described as being about 20, and 160cm tall with brown shaggy hair, has not been identified.
What's next?
Anyone with dash-cam, CCTV or mobile phone footage that may assist the search have been asked to share it with police.
A man who threatened people with a shotgun in Sydney's inner west remains on the run.
A large police operation was launched on Friday morning after the man set fire to a stolen van at a Dulwich Hill apartment block.
Local public schools were placed in a lock out as part of the police response which included a three-hour exclusion zone being in place for several streets around Williams Parade.
Police Superintendent Despa Fitzgerald said the operation began shortly after 10:20am, when emergency services responded to a van on fire.
Residents told responding officers they saw the man in the van, which had been stolen from the nearby area a couple of days earlier, and he threatened them with a shotgun as he fled the apartment block and set the vehicle ablaze.
No shots were fired.
Police have described the man as Caucasian, about 20 years old, about 160 centimetres tall and of a slim build with shaggy brown hair.
He was reported to be wearing a blue T-shirt and long black pants and fled down Union Street towards Laxton Reserve.
Police later released an image as part of their investigation of a man with a dark jumper, black cap and white shoes.
The man's identity has not been confirmed.
Superintendent Fitzgerald said sightings of the man should be reported to Triple Zero (000) and anyone with mobile phone or dashcam footage should share it with investigators.
The neighbourhood was locked down for three hours while the search, which involved riot squad officers, officers in bulletproof vests, police dogs and the PolAir helicopter, was underway.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Police will identify and apprehend the suspect using public-submitted footage
Likely · Within days
The man will face charges related to armed threat, arson, and theft
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What is the identity of the armed man?
- Where is the suspect currently located?
- Was the van stolen specifically for use in this incident?
- Are there any prior criminal records associated with the suspect?
