Police deny shooting Brisbane gunman with bullets
The man at the centre of today's mall siege blew off some of his finger tips with a home-made shotgun just two weeks ago.
Today, witnesses say he was aiming his handgun at a group of elderly people before police shot him.
Police say they did not use real bullets on the gunman who forced the Queen Street Mall into lockdown.
The man was escorted to Royal Brisbane Hospital by ambulance officers, after early reports suggested the man was shot in the shoulder.
"It wasn't bullets, it wasn't rubber bullets, it wasn't a Taser," a police spokesperson said.
"There was not blood everywhere, as has been reported."
Unconfirmed reports suggest he was shot with a bean bag gun.
Despite police all but denying the shooting, witness Brett Morris told 7 News he saw the events unfold.
"It appears (the gunman) has been shot. It looks like a shoulder injury or somewhere up high - and possibly a leg injury," he said.
"I heard about three or four shots. Whether he fired at (police) first I don't know.
"We saw him waving his gun around, next minute there were shots fired and he was laying down on the ground bleeding in handcuffs.
"He was very agitated - you could tell he had some problems going on even without a firearm."
The gunman's friends said that he was meant to meet the man for lunch, and said he's been in and out of jail and had been depressed over recent months.
Part of the mall has reopened, however the George Street side is still being treated as a crime scene.
Earlier, police had been negotiating with the highly agitated man, who was holding a handgun to his chin.
Dozens of police flooded the area with their guns drawn, clearing bystanders from the vicinity and surrounding the gunman.
Police were working to clear the area of all bystanders, it’s believed several people locked themselves inside stores, fearing a massacre.
Police are urging anyone who may have filmed the man to contact them, and send through the footage.
An emergency situation under the Public Safety Preservation Act was declared shortly after the siege began.
"The emergency situation was declared at 11:20am after police received reports of an armed person," a media release issued by Queensland Police read.
"The area has been evacuated and motorists and pedestrians are advised to avoid the area."
