Police are appealing for the public’s help to find a suspected gunman after schools were placed in lockdown and streets cordoned off in Sydney’s Inner West.
Officers were called to reports of a stolen vehicle at a carpark on Williams Pde in Dulwich Hill about 10.20am on Friday.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Major police operation in Dulwich Hill
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Police were told a man was armed with a firearm inside the vehicle, which was then set alight before he ran off.
Locals reported a fire billowing out of the underground carpark about the same time, with NSW Fire and Rescue confirming a car was found alight.
One fire truck was sent in and crews extinguished the blaze about 10.50am.
No injuries have been reported.
Police had blocked off access to the surrounding area by the time the car was extinguished, a local told 7NEWS.com.au.
Police are searching for a man armed with a firearm who ran off from the scene of a burning car in Dulwich Hill on Friday morning. Credit: 7NEWS
They said police were actively searching for a person but were unable to locate the suspect by midday.
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Another reported a man had pointed a gun at people before running away.
NSW Police Superintendent Despa Fitzgerald confirmed no shots had been fired but officers were searching for a man believed to be carrying a shotgun.
“We understand there was a male that ran from the scene holding what we believe is a shotgun, towards Union St and then to Laxton Pde,” Fitzgerald said.
She said the van had been stolen from the Inner West Police Area Command a couple of days earlier.
An extensive search remained underway on Friday afternoon, involving officers on the ground and the Dog Unit.
Fitzgerald said police were confident the man was still in the area.
She said a school had been placed in lockdown as a precaution.
A postman told 7NEWS he was walking along Williams Pde when he heard a verbal altercation.
One of the people involved told him they had tracked their stolen car and “we followed him to this location”.
“Listen, he’s got a sawn-off (shotgun),” the postman said.
“I didn’t see him with it, I didn’t see his face (but) there was a lot of yelling going on.”
Police have released an image of the man. Credit: NSW Police, 7NEWS
Police have since released an image of the man as they appeal for public assistance to locate him.
He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in his 20s, about 160cm-tall with a thin build, shaggy hair and was last seen wearing a blue T-shirt and long black pants.
“If you see this person, please call triple-0. Do not approach this person. We understand he is armed with a shotgun,” Fitzgerald said.
People several blocks away were told by heavily armed police officers to leave the area for their safety. One witness told 7NEWS.com.au that officers were knocking on doors urging locals to not leave their homes.
Paramedics were also called to the complex but were stood down while on their way. No one is believed to have been injured.
7NEWS reports several schools in the area have also been placed into lockdown by the ongoing police operation.
Light Rail services have also been halted between Dulwich Hill and Lilyfield stations due to the operation stretching to encompass Arlington station.
Police have called on anyone in the Dulwich Hill area with mobile phone or dashcam vision relevant to the incident to upload it here.
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