Sydney Airport Incident: Man Charged After Police Firearm Discharged
A 41-year-old Victorian man has been arrested and charged following an altercation with Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers at Sydney Airport’s T2 terminal, which resulted in a police firearm being unintentionally discharged.
Incident Details
The incident occurred when the man, who was allegedly acting suspiciously near a cafe, was approached by AFP officers.
He became verbally and physically aggressive, leading to a struggle during which one of the officers’ short-barrelled rifles was discharged.
No one was injured in the incident, and an internal investigation is underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the firearm’s discharge.
Charges and Investigation
The man has been charged with one count of obstructing/hindering/intimidating/resisting a Commonwealth official and one count of creating a disturbance at an airport.
He is expected to face Downing Centre Local Court on September 1.
Afp acting commander Scott Raven confirmed that the man was known to police and had previous interactions with officers the day before.
Raven stated that the airport had not been locked down and there was no ongoing threat to the community.
Witness Accounts
A former police dog handler, who intervened in the struggle, recalled the terrifying moment he helped restrain the man.
He said one of the officer’s long guns had gone to the ground and was underneath the man when it went off.
The witness, who was due to fly to Townsville with his companion, a NSW Police sergeant, described how they worked with police to restrain the man, ensuring the safety of everyone involved.
Airport Operations
Sydney Airport media confirmed an altercation had taken place at the domestic terminal, but stated that it did not cause any disruption to flights.
An airport spokesman said the incident did not affect airport operations, and domestic arrivals and departures continued as scheduled.