Melbourne gunman killed in shootout with police had fronted court on terror charges
The man at the centre of a deadly Melbourne siege had a "strong criminal history" and faced court over a terror plot to attack an Australian army base eight years ago.
Victoria Police said a joint counter-terrorism taskforce was handling the overall investigation, naming the gunman as 29-year-old Somali-born Australian citizen Yacqub Khayre.
Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said Khayre was "someone that was known to us and has a strong criminal history".
Comm Ashton said Khayre came out of the apartment "with a shotgun and has commenced firing at police", wounding three officers.
Kharye was then gunned down when police returned fire.
At some point before the siege, Khayre met a woman from an escort service while a call was made to Channel 7 in which a declaration was made to ISIS.
The commissioner confirmed that another man, the building receptionist, was killed at the scene but he "had done nothing wrong except work at the apartment".
Police allege the Chinese-born victim "was fatally shot by the offender" before the gunman took up a position inside the apartment.
Counter terrorism police have investigated Khayre's background, with enquries ongoing.
The scene has been handed over to the coroner with homicide police assisting with the investigation, Comm Ashton said.
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Comm Ashton also confirmed reports Khayre was on parole at the time but added there was no evidence at this point suggesting his actions were linked to any ongoing threats.
"Nothing thus far will suggest to us that this was planned or done in concert with others," Comm Ashton said.
"We believe at this stage that he was acting alone, it was an ongoing threat in relation to any plot or anything around this."
Officers with the Special Operations Group were called to the Buckingham serviced apartments in Brighton at about 4pm on Monday afternoon.
Khayre was later killed during a shootout with police in the suburb of Brighton.
The 29-year-old fronted court in 2009 on charges he planned to attack the Holsworthy army base in Sydney's west.
Khayre was acquitted of the charges in 2010 but it is understood he was later involved in a violent home invasion in which he attacked a man and a woman.
Khayre served three years in prison for that attack but it is believed he was out on parole in the lead-up to the siege incident in the bayside suburbs on Monday night.
In 2007, he was charged with armed robbery after holding up passengers on a Melbourne train, leaving one man with knife wounds.
A 7 News employee took a phone call in its Melbourne newsroom at 5.41pm from a woman who said she was in a hostage situation before man came on the line saying "This is for IS, this is for al-Qaeda".
Deputy Commissioner Andrew Crisp told reporters on Monday night terrorism was "one line of inquiry" but it was still early days.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton will hold a press conference at 8.30am on Tuesday to address fears of a terror link.
Police were called to the Brighton apartment building on Monday to reports of an explosion.
When they arrived, they found a man apparently shot dead in the foyer.
They began efforts to negotiate with the gunman who was holding a woman hostage in one of the apartments.
Mr Crisp said the man, who spoke to negotiators from inside the building, came out about 6pm and opened fire, hitting three police.
They returned fire and killed him.
Two male officers were taken to hospital for treatment while another was treated at the scene.
"We are extremely concerned about terrorism. Whenever there is any incident overseas it causes us to question what major events we have running ... we are very attuned to the threat of terrorism here in Melbourne," he said.
Newsbreak – June 6
