Croydon Park shooting: Police say it is ‘incredible’ no one was killed during two-hour Sydney gun battle

Police say it is “incredible” that no one died after confirming they will charge a 60-year-old man with a range of offences following an alleged western Sydney shooting rampage.

Streets in the inner western suburb of Croydon became the scene of a shootout on Sunday night between heavily armed tactical response officers and a man that lasted for over two hours.

Shots were fired at anything that moved along Georges River Road and police were forced to take cover as their patrol cars were peppered with bullets.

“A 60-year-old male was arrested at the scene by specialist police officers. He received a number of minor injuries. He is being treated at Bankstown Hospital. He was released a short time ago, and was returned to custody at Burwood Police Station,” Acting Superintendent Stephen Parry from the Burwood Police Area Command said at a press conference on Monday.

“He’s yet to be interviewed by detectives. That process is currently taking place and he will be charged later this afternoon with a string of offences.”

The extent of the gun battle was described by Act. Supt. Parry as he emphasised it is a miracle the alleged shooter did not manage to kill anyone during the siege.

“Thirteen vehicles were struck by bullets, we’ll allege, were fired by the male person in custody,” Mr Parry said.

“Two persons have received injuries, one person has undertaken surgery at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital this morning, two other persons were treated and released from hospital and about a dozen other persons were treated on scene by ambulance personnel last night, and not taken to hospital.

Police confirmed the man in custody has “no links at all to any organised crime, any terror” but that he does have “a couple of adult children”.

Described as an “active shooting situation” by NSW police, tactical officers arrested the man from a unit above a business along the busy road.

Body-worn cameras from police showed how close officers came to being hit as they took cover during the “serious and terrifying incident”.

“You can hear numerous gunshots, and certainly impact, not too far from the camera,” NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon told Sydney radio 2GB on Monday.

One of the officers shot at had only been out of the academy for five weeks, Mr Lanyon said.

A 30 calibre rifle was seized from the scene.

“One shot was fired through the window of one of the police cars. If the police vehicle was occupied at the time, that police officer in all likelihood would have sustained fatal injuries,” Mr Parry said

“It is incredible that nobody died or received significant injuries in relation to this. And in my opinion, it is testament to the tactical plan which was put together by a specialist police to resolve the matter as promptly as what they could.

“No police officers were injured as a result of this incident but two persons were treated in hospital. One has undertaken surgery and there are up to 14 other persons treated at the scene by ambulance personnel at the scene.

Original thoughts were that up to 100 bullets fired by the man during the incident but that has now been adjusted after further investigation at the scene.

“It’s been refined down to about 50 at this stage. But the crime scene examination is still ongoing, so we haven’t got a final number of casings,” Mr Parry said.

A taxi driver in his 50s remains in a serious but stable condition in hospital with wounds to his neck and head.