Three Dead, Including Gunman, as Lindt Cafe Siege Ends

Fairfax confirm that lone gunman Haron Monis was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital. A 34 year old man and a 38 year old woman were also pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.

Several others have been hospitalised, including a woman with a gunshot wound to her shoulder, a police officer with a non life threatening wound to his face, two women with non life-threatening injuries, and one woman as a precaution.

NSW Premier Mike Baird has said, with “the heaviest of hearts”:

“Unbelievably overnight we have lost some of our own in an attack we never thought we would see here in our city. In the past 24 hours this city has been shaken by a tragedy that none of us could have ever imagined.” 

“Today we must come together as never before. We are stronger together. We will get through this. We will get through this.
The events that we have seen have shaken us, but they do not dampen our resolve.”

As previously reported, police made the decision to enter the premises early this morning. NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione says that doing so ultimately saved lives.

“They made the call because they believed that at that time, that if they didn’t enter, there would have been many more lives lost,” he said.

“I think events that were unfolding inside the premises led them to the belief that now was the time to actually deploy, and they did.”

“At this stage I understand there was a number of gunshots that were heard, which caused officers to move straight to a what we call an EA, an emergency action plan, and that caused them to enter.”