Shot fired, man charged after Sydney airport incident
Source: 2GB
A Victorian man has been charged after an alarming incident at Sydney airport when a federal police gun was fired.
AFP Acting Commander Scott Raven said police were called to the airport early on Wednesday after reports the man was acting suspiciously at a check-in counter.
The gun went off as the man was tackled to the ground near gate 53 in the T2 domestic terminal early on Wednesday.
“We allege the man became verbally and physically aggressive towards AFP officers before he was able to be placed under arrest. During his arrest, the AFP firearm was unintentionally discharged,” Raven said.
He said the gun went off close to the floor and near the wall of an airport cafe. The bullet lodged about a metre from where the group was holding the 41-year-old Victorian man.
No one was injured and the incident is being investigated.
Footage shared on social media by radio station 2GB on Wednesday showed a shouting man being held to the ground by several people.
Raven said additional federal police officers were called in, and two NSW police officers (one current, one retired) were also on the scene.
Source: AAP
He denied earlier reports Sydney Airport was locked down as a result of the incident.
The T2 terminal is mainly used by Virgin and Jetstar, as well as some Rex flights.
The man was taken to Mascot police station and charged with obstructing an official and creating a disturbance at an airport.
“I will not go into further details of exactly why he was at the airport today or whether he did or did not have a boarding pass, as the investigation is ongoing,” Raven said.
The 41-year-old Victorian has since been granted bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney on September 1.
The maximum penalty for first offence is two years’ jail, and a $3300 fine for the second.
Raven said there was no ongoing threat to the public.
The airport was operating normally, Sydney Airport said later on Wednesday.
Sydney is Australia’s busiest airport, handling more than 40 million passengers a year, according to data from the federal transport department.
-with AAP
Want to see more stories from The New Daily in your Google search results?
- Click here to set The New Daily as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "The New Daily". That's it.
