Gunman who shot dead NSW police employee was radicalised youth
Updated 2 minutes ago
PHOTO: Police vehicles, motorcycles, and dog squads are involved in a police operation outside Parramatta police headquarters. (ABC News: Mohamed Taha)
RELATED STORY: NSW Police employee one of two dead in Parramatta HQ shooting
MAP: Sydney 2000
Police say the gunman who shot dead a New South Wales police civilian employee was a 15-year-old radicalised youth of Middle Eastern background.
The lone shooter killed the employee as he was leaving police headquarters at Parramatta in Sydney's west around 4:30pm yesterday.
The offender then fired several more shots at officers as they emerged from the building to respond to the incident.
He was killed when the officers, who are special constables, returned fire.
In an emotional media conference last night, Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione described the incident as a callous attack.
"I've viewed a number of pieces of footage. I can tell you this was a brutal crime," he said.
"This particular man was deliberately targeted.
"There is no way you can describe the feeling that comes with being told that you have an officer that's been killed."
Mr Scipione praised the senior constables for the way they handled the situation.
"Those special constables certainly put their lives on the line," he said.
"They acted in a way that was incredibly courageous. And I'm just so pleased that they're all well ... they were incredibly professional."
The Commissioner stressed there was no ongoing threat to the surrounding community.
"My message to the people of NSW is they are safe, there is no threat that we are dealing with that at this stage we haven't resolved here. We will get to the bottom of this matter," he said.
Charles Street, Hassall Street and Wigram Road remain cordoned off this morning as police continue to search for evidence of what happened.
From other news sites:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-03/nsw-police-headquarters-gunman-was-radicalised-youth/6825028
