Sydney police employee shot dead

A NSW Police Force employee has been shot dead in a double shooting outside the state’s police headquarters in Sydney’s west.

Cheng was shot once from behind at close range. Then I took a video from the window and heard three or four more gunshots.

The incident occurred outside the NSW Police headquarters building on Charles St about 4.30pm after a number of shots were fired.

Edwin Almeida, an estate agent whose office is opposite the headquarters, said the incident was “surreal”.

“I saw the guy dressed in black on the pavement with blood everywhere”, he said.

Andrew Scipione said Saturday in a news conference.

The phrase refers to someone who deliberately provokes a lethal response rather than allowing themself to be arrested.

The shooting in Australia came the day after Obama held up Great Britain and Australia as counties that tackled gun crime by disarming law-abiding citizens.

The site of the shooting is located next to two schools and a childcare centre, as well as a scooter workshop popular with children in the afternoon.

But Mr Scipione confirmed the children were safe and had since been released.

He said a major events team was looking at the incident with a view to the NRL grand final, but said security for the match at the ANZ Stadium on Sunday night was already high.

“He was a much loved man, been with us a long time”, Scipione said. “But they must never divert us from our commitment to being free Australians, working together to ensure we achieve our common goals”, he said.

“I was doing a few work at my home and there’s a gunshot and I thought it was a tyre puncture”, ABC News quoted him as saying.

“It appears an officer has discharged his weapon, responding to a report that a person had been shot”, a police spokesman said.

“Naturally we are supporting all our staff involved in this bad episode”.

Police asked the public to avoid Charles Street, Hassall Street and Wigram Road.