Police set up probe into Sydney cafe siege

Australian police on Tuesday (Dec 16) announced that they have set up an independent investigation into the 16-hour siege at a cafe in Sydney.

In a news conference, Deputy Commissioner of the New South Wales police Catherine Burn said the independent probe will be “led by homicide”.

“We don’t know the offender’s motivations at this stage. This will be subject to investigation,” she added.

Police on early Tuesday stormed Lindt cafe in a central district of Sydney, where a gunman had held staff and customers for hours. They moved in after hearing gunfire, and the gunman, identified as 50-year-old Iranian Man Haron Monis, was shot and killed in the exchange that followed.

“The offender had a criminal history with serious offences,” Burn told reporters at the news conference on Tuesday.

Two hostages were also killed. Local media identified them as Lindt cafe manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson.

Residents on Tuesday left floral tributes to the victims at the scene of the siege, expressing shock and grief at the incident.

Local media reported that flags will be flown at half-mast across New South Wales state to honour those who died, while New South Wales police on Tuesday also released details on the dead and the injured.