Qld; Man charged after 16 hour armed stand off with police

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2000
Qld; Man charged after 16 hour armed stand off with police

BRISBANE, Aug 26 AAP - A 40-year-old man will face court on Monday on a variety of
charges after a tense stand-off with police at a caravan park on the Sunshine Coast lasting
more than 16 hours, police said.

The man, who was armed with a shotgun, surrendered to police around 2.30am today.

Police evacuated the Sea Breeze Caravan Park at Maroochydore after the man, a resident
of the park, allegedly fired four shots around 10am yesterday.

More shots were fired early yesterday afternoon and an elderly resident of the caravan
park, who had not been evacuated, was taken to hospital with minor injuries to his back
and neck from flying debris after one the shots hit his van.

Police sharpshooters and negotiators were called in to end the standoff which dragged
on into the early hours of this morning.

A 17-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy who were with him were not harmed and police
said they had not been regarded as hostages.

One of the teenagers held up a sign which read "no hostage" yesterday as police tried
to negotiate with the man, who had been demanding to see officials from the Criminal Justice
Commission, a barrister and the media.

Witnesses reported that the man had been yelling to police: "You don't know what it's
like to have children."

The man, who is now in police custody, has been charged with 16 offences, including
threatening violence whilst armed, stealing, unlawful wounding and nine counts of wilful
damage.

He will appear in the Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Monday.

AAP rad/rs

KEYWORD: STANDOFF SECOND DAYLEAD

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