Accused child sex offender shot dead after stabbing senior detective twice
A senior NSW detective is fighting for his life in hospital after he was stabbed at least twice closing in on an accused child sex offender in Sydney's east.
Suspect Nick Newman, 33, was shot dead by the injured officer's partner shortly after 3.15pm at the Maroubra Junction Hotel on Anzac Parade.
Officers had gone to the hotel to arrest Newman after he failed to appear in Penrith court on Wednesday.
Police on Thursday said they were searching for Newman who was known to frequent the Sydney CBD, Redfern and the Nepean area.
His image had been widely circulated by police.
When approached, Newman allegedly produced a knife and stabbed the officer twice in the torso. Newman was immediately shot dead.
The wounded officer has been named as 45-year-old Detective Sergeant Breda, who worked for the NSW sex crimes unit.
He was rushed eight kilometres to St Vincent Hospital in Darlinghurst via a police escort and remains in a critical condition on Friday night after undergoing emergency surgery.
NSW Police stepped up their presence at the scene of the incident with dozens more police officers and several ambulances arriving before senior police declared the shooting a Critical Incident.
"It was a relatively routine situation they were in today and unfortunately that has escalated and ended in this very serious outcome," Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton told reporters in Maroubra on Friday.
"It's fair to say this happened very quickly as the officers approached this man."
The officers who shot Newman were "traumatised," according to Mr Walton, who said police were "very concerned" about the injured detective sergeant's condition.
Several bystanders took to social media to share videos of the chaotic scenes following the incident with roads surrounding the hotel closed off.
Several witnesses told 7 News they heard gunshots from a location on Anzac Parade. One woman said she heard "four of five gunshots".
"I was inside the beer garden celebrating Australia Day and next thing you know I hear all these gunshots", another witness said.
A critical incident team from the Homicide Squad are investigating the incident, including the firearm that was discharged.
NSW Police Association president Scott Weber described the incident as "another tragedy".
"Everyday when we go out onto the street to protect the people of NSW, we realise we may not be coming home," he said.
