Shots fired as hostage siege where a woman and young child are being held in a home by an armed man enters its 18th hour
- A siege is underway at a suburban home in Sunnybank on Brisbane’s southside
- An armed man is reportedly holding a woman and child as young five hostage
- Tactical police units have now surrounded the house and cordoned off the area
- They are talking to the armed man and trying to peacefully resolve the siege
Shots have been fired at the scene of a hostage taking, where a woman and a young child have been held for at least 18 hours.
An armed man is reportedly holding a woman and a child as young as five hostage in a suburban home, prompting police to shut down the entire neighbourhood.
Tactical police have been surrounding a home in Sunnybank on Brisbane‘s southside since 10.30am on Thursday before issuing an ’emergency declaration’.
Acting inspector Mick Ackery said they are talking to the man ‘to bring the incident to a conclusion peacefully’ at 3.30pm – but the siege has now entered its 18th hours with police still at the area on Friday morning.
Locals have been urged to avoid an exclusion zone between Dyson Avenue, Geddes Place, Beenleigh Rd and Ganda Place.
An armed man is reportedly holding a woman and a child as young as five hostage in a suburban home in Sunnybank on Brisbane’s southside. Tactical police (pictured) are now surrounding a home trying to defuse the situation
Acting inspector Mick Ackery said specialist police are talking to the man ‘to bring the incident to a conclusion peacefully’ at 3.30pm as the siege continues
‘What specialist police are concentrating on now is coming to a peaceful resolution to the situation,’ Mr Ackery said at the conference.
‘Specialist police are making all attempts to engage with the person in the house.
‘We’re prepared to deal with the situation as long as it takes to ensure the safety of the community, the people inside that house and of course, our officers.’
A woman and a child as young as five are being held hostage, according to 7News.
Inspector Ackery said police are talking to the armed man but would not comment on his weapon or the other occupants inside the house as to not escalate the situation.
‘You have to understand it’s an ongoing matter, a dynamic, fluid situation, so therefore it’s very hard for me and not appropriate for me to make further comments about that,’ he said.
‘I need to let the specialist police their job and that’s all I’m prepared to say at this stage.’
Mr Ackery crosses back into the cordoned off area as the siege continues. He said they are ‘prepared to deal with the situation as long as it takes’
Locals have been urged to avoid an exclusion zone between Dyson Avenue, Geddes Place, Beenleigh Rd and Ganda Place
When asked if detectives visited the house prior to the siege, he said: ‘Police had attended the address.’
‘Contrary to some beliefs, the incident did not commence at the Banoon train station,’ he said.
‘There’s a number of police here, including tactical, crime squad and detectives and other specialist police.’
Queensland Police said: ‘Residents within the exclusion zone are urged to follow the advice of emergency services on the ground.
‘Members of the public are advised to avoid the area.’
Trains that run along the Beenleigh line were initially skipping the nearby Banoon station but have now resumed as normal.
Police are guarding the area to ensure people do not enter. Mr Ackery said they want ‘to ensure the safety of the community’ first and foremost
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