SYDNEY, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- A major police operation has been launched in Sydney's inner southwest after a man was seen with a firearm on Friday morning.
A police statement said that police were called to reports of a stolen vehicle in Dulwich Hill, 6 km southwest of central Sydney, around 10:20 a.m. local time and were told that a man was armed with a firearm inside the vehicle before setting fire to it and leaving the scene.
The incident triggered a major response, with police helicopters, officers in bulletproof vests and the riot squad deployed to search for the man and local residents told to stay indoors.
Local media earlier reported that police were responding to reports of gunshots being fired.
Police described the suspect as a Caucasian man aged in his 20s.
Sydney newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported that he was seen armed with a shotgun.
Fire and rescue crews attended the scene and extinguished the vehicle fire, with no injuries reported.
Light rail services in the area have been suspended and motorists have been advised to avoid the area. ■