Terror in Sydney: Greek Australian Artemios Mintzas shoots wildly in Croydon park — 16 injured, See video

A Greek Australian antheral was arrested successful Australia aft an unprecedented shooting incidental successful Sydney that near astatine slightest 16 radical injured and dispersed panic done the suburb of Croydon Park.

The 60‑year‑old Artemios Mintzas, begetter of two, who lives unsocial and works for the Sydney railways, reportedly fired astir 50 shots astatine pedestrians, vehicles, and buildings earlier being apprehended by New South Wales Police tactical units precocious Sunday evening.

According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), the country was cordoned disconnected for implicit 2 hours, during which officers exchanged occurrence with the gunman successful what authorities described arsenic an “extremely unsafe operation.” Mintzas, according to police, had barricaded himself and was firing “indiscriminately” with a 7.62 mm shotgun from a model of an flat supra a business, causing harm to 13 vehicles and a autobus stop.

By 9:30 PM section clip (5:30 AM Greek time), and aft the shooting spree began astir 7:45 PM section (3:45 AM Greek time), peculiar forces stormed the flat and arrested him. The 60‑year‑old was lightly injured—mainly by solid fragments to his eye—and was taken to Bankstown Hospital, wherever helium was guarded and underwent psychiatric evaluation.

Mintzas faces 25 charges successful total, including 18 counts of intentional discharge of a firearm with intent to murder, possession of a loaded weapon, and usage of a firearm to evade arrest. New South Wales Police accidental 16 radical were injured, of whom 5 stay hospitalized.

Most sustained injuries from shrapnel oregon shock, portion 1 antheral successful his 50s suffered gunshot wounds to the cervix and thorax and underwent exigency surgery. Fortunately, his beingness is not believed to beryllium astatine risk.

Deputy Commissioner Steven Parr said the Greek Australian “is cooperating and speaking freely” with authorities, adding that successful the past 20 years helium had minimal interaction with constabulary and nary recorded intelligence wellness history. “It is unthinkable that nary 1 died. In 35 years of service, I person seen fewer cases wherever idiosyncratic fires randomly astatine radical successful the street,” helium remarked.

The constabulary corroborate determination is no indication the incidental is linked to organized crime, terrorism, alcohol, oregon drugs, and are investigating however Mintzas obtained the limb and whether helium possessed a valid firearm license.

“It looked similar a warfare zone”

Local residents described scenes of chaos and horror. Aysegul, proprietor of the “Croydon Park Kebab House” located adjacent to the suspect’s apartment, said she archetypal heard 2 shots and didn’t recognize what was happening. “Then abruptly an endless ‘bang, bang, bang’ began, nonstop,” she recounted, adding the odor of gunpowder entered the shop.

She and customers locked themselves wrong the edifice until astir 10 PM nether constabulary instructions. By Monday morning, the vicinity looked similar a warfare zone: slug holes successful walls, shattered windows, and signs of the constabulary operation.

Unprecedented for Sydney

Deputy Commissioner Trent King called the incidental “unprecedented for Sydney,” noting that it is highly uncommon to person truthful galore gunshots with nary fatalities.

Local nonmigratory Matt Ioko, who works astatine a veterinary session adjacent the apartment, said helium arrived soon aft 8 PM to find the roadworthy blocked. “It was terrifying to deliberation that if I had passed done a fewer minutes earlier, I mightiness not beryllium present today,” helium said, according to Ethnikos Kirikas.

Mintzas was denied bail and is expected to look successful the Burwood Local Court connected Tuesday.

Investigations are ongoing.