Police lock down Dulwich Hill after man with shotgun seen setting stolen car alight, suspect at large

Police and residents in the inner-west Sydney suburb of Dulwich Hill spent Friday morning searching for a man witnesses said set a stolen car on fire while armed with a sawn-off shotgun.

Emergency services were called to a carpark on Williams Parade shortly before 10:20am after reports of a stolen vehicle; witnesses told police the suspect ignited the car near an apartment complex and then ran off with the firearm.

Tactical police, general duties officers and a police helicopter were deployed to the area and a large exclusion zone was put in place as officers searched streets including Union Street, which police said was the suspect’s last known location.

Local schools and businesses were affected by police orders: Dulwich Hill Public School and Summer Hill Public School were placed into lockdown, and cafés and nearby shops were asked to keep customers inside while traffic was redirected.

Witness descriptions circulated to officers described a man in his 20s, about 160 centimetres tall, of thin build with shaggy hair, wearing a blue T-shirt and long black pants. Nine News witnesses said there had been an altercation between the man and another group before the vehicle was set alight; police have not announced any arrests.

Authorities initially responded after reports of gunfire, but at a press conference NSW Police said crime-scene examination and a reassessment of witness accounts found no indication shots were fired.

That clarification came as officers continued door-knocks and searches in the suburb; police urged anyone with information to contact Inner West Police Area Command or Crime Stoppers. No injuries have been reported to police or to hospital authorities.

The operation closed parts of Williams Parade and Constitution Road and drew visible tactical resources, reflecting police concern about an armed person in a residential area. Police described the suspect’s appearance and route to help the search; they also warned the public not to approach anyone matching the description and to call Triple Zero (000) if they saw the man.

Media photographs and on-scene reporting showed officers working in teams and the helicopter conducting aerial checks.

The incident documentably disrupted local routines: schools were locked down and traffic was redirected while the search continued, and local witnesses provided accounts that informed the police picture but were later clarified by investigators regarding whether shots were fired.

Police said the man remained at large on Friday afternoon and continued to appeal for information from the public. The Inner West Police Area Command is the lead police body handling the incident and has provided the public channels for tips and reporting.

This account is drawn from on-scene reporting, witness statements relayed to police and a police press conference that adjusted early claims about gunfire following crime-scene work.