A 32-year-old man has been charged with seven offences — including possessing a shortened firearm without authority and robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon — following a firearm incident in southwest Sydney that triggered a major emergency response and a lockdown lasting over three hours. The arrest was made in Sydney's inner-west around 11:30 pm on Sunday, 19 October, capping a three-day manhunt.

How the Incident Unfolded

Emergency services were first called to Dulwich Hill, approximately six kilometres southwest of central Sydney, on Friday morning after reports of a stolen vehicle. Officers were informed at the scene that a man was armed with a firearm inside the vehicle. The suspect allegedly set the vehicle on fire before fleeing on foot.

The development triggered an immediate and large-scale emergency response. Local residents, businesses, and schools in the area were placed into lockdown for more than three hours while police conducted their search. Notably, the firearm was not recovered at the time of the man's eventual arrest.

Child Critically Injured in Northwest Sydney Shooting

In a separate and unrelated incident, an 11-year-old boy was hospitalised in a critical condition after sustaining a gunshot wound to his face and neck at a residence in Norwest, an outer northwest Sydney suburb, on Monday. Officers from the state of New South Wales (NSW) arrived to find the child in serious distress and paramedics treated him at the scene before transporting him to hospital.

Superintendent Naomi Moore told reporters on Monday night that the boy had undergone life-saving treatment in hospital. Three 18-year-old males — among five other people present at the home — were arrested. Two were later released pending further inquiries, while the third was charged with concealing a serious offence.

Earlier Western Sydney Home Invasion

The weekend's violence follows another incident on 22 September, when two men were hospitalised after being assaulted during a home invasion in Lalor Park, approximately 28 kilometres west of central Sydney. Emergency services were called around 7:30 am after reports that two men had entered a home and assaulted a 64-year-old and a 44-year-old before leaving. Both victims, who reportedly sustained head injuries, were taken to hospital in serious condition. A crime scene was established and an investigation commenced.

What the Charges Cover

The 32-year-old arrested on Sunday night faces seven charges in total, with the most serious being possession of a shortened firearm without authority and armed robbery. The absence of a recovered firearm is likely to remain a key element of the ongoing investigation. Police have not publicly named the accused.

What Happens Next

With the Dulwich Hill suspect in custody, police are expected to pursue recovery of the unaccounted firearm. The Norwest shooting investigation remains active, with the nature of the shooting — whether accidental or deliberate — yet to be publicly confirmed by authorities. Sydney has seen a cluster of serious violent incidents in recent weeks, and NSW Police are under pressure to provide clarity on the circumstances surrounding each case.