Sydney siege over as police storm Lindt cafe in Martin Place

Three people, including the gunman, are dead as the Sydney cafe siege ended in a volley of gunfire shortly after 2am on Tuesday.

Heavily armed police were seen ramming their way into the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Martin Place at 2.03am as dozens of gunshots rang out.

Fairfax Media has confirmed that one of three people killed was Man Haron Monis, the self-described cleric from Bexley who had been holding 17 people hostage inside the popular cafe since 9.45am on Monday. He was pronounced dead after being taken to hospital.

Another man, aged 34, and a woman, aged 38, were pronounced dead also after being taken to hospital.

Two women were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

A male police officer suffered a non life-threatening wound to his face from gunshot pellets.

Another woman was taken to hospital with a gunshot wound to her shoulder, and a 35-year-old woman was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Shortly before police entered the building, six hostages were seen running free from the cafe, 16 hours after they were first taken captive. Seconds later, another hostage was freed.

Their release was followed seconds later by a dramatic police raid that was shown live on television. 

Footage showed a group of tactical officers storming into the cafe as gunshots rang out. Many flashes of light could be seen coming from inside the doorway.

A police officer could be seen shielding one hostage and running away from the cafe entrance. A short time later another hostage could be seen exiting the building. 

A police officer could be heard telling people to retreat for their own safety, as there was "live ammunition" being used.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said police made the decision to storm the cafe after gunshots were heard from inside the cafe. The Commisioner said this triggered officers to implement an emergency action plan.

"Until we were involved in this emergency action, we believed that no-one had been injured. That changed. We changed our tack," he said in a press conference on Tuesday morning.

"They made the call because they believed at that time if they didn't enter there would have been many more lives lost."

NSW Premier Mike Baird said the city had been "shaken by a tragedy that none of us could have ever imagined" and called upon the people of NSW to "come together as never before".

"Unbelievably overnight we have lost some of our own in an attack we never thought we would see here in our city," Mr Baird said.

"The events that we have seen have shaken us, but they do not dampen our resolve."

At least four hostages were injured.

Royal North Shore Hospital confirmed they were treating a woman in her 40s for a gunshot wound to her leg. She was in a serious but stable condition.

Another woman, who was also believed to be a hostage, was seen being wheeled into Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on a stretcher just after 3.30am.

Six detectives also arrived at the hospital, while four ambulances were parked in the emergency department bays.

Monis, 50, is no stranger to the NSW police or the judiciary.

He first came to attention of police when he penned poisonous letters to the family of dead Australian soldiers seven years ago.

Last year he was charged with being an accessory to the murder of his ex-wife, a mother of two.

Most recently, he was charged with more than 50 allegations of indecent and sexual assault relating to time allegedly spent as a self-proclaimed "spiritual healer" who dealt with black magic at a premises in western Sydney more than a decade ago.

It is understood Monday's incident followed an unsuccessful, last-ditch attempted in the High Court on Friday to have the charges overturned.

Monis is not believed to have any formal links to any terror organisation. 

Families of those taken hostage were waiting for news outside St James' Supreme Court precinct when the siege came to a head.

It had been an agonising 16-hour wait, since Monis first entered the cafe on Martin Place during Monday morning's peak.

At 9.44am on Monday, a woman raised the alarm with police after seeing a man outside the cafe carrying a blue sports bag with a gun inside.

Channel Seven, which is located opposite the cafe and was broadcasting live at the time, showed footage of hostages with their arms in the air. Two of the hostages were forced to hold up their captor's flag - declaring "There is no god but Allah" - in the window.

Police quickly evacuated the area, and workers across the city were sent home early.

About 4.35pm on Monday, the first two hostages ran from the cafe's main doors – a mature man followed by a man in his 30s, who appeared to punch the air. Soon after, a third man, dressed in the cafe's uniform, emerged from a side door.

About 4.58pm on Monday, two women dashed from the cafe.

It was then mainly quiet until Tuesday morning's dramatic raid.

See more photos and video at: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/sydney-siege-over-as-police-storm-lindt-cafe-20141215-127t9p.html