The scene in Sydney: Grenades and gunfire grip Australia's biggest city - CNN.comThe scene in Sydney: Grenades and gunfire grip Australia's biggest city - CNN.comBreaking NewsPlease select your default edition:InternationalU.S.MexicoU.S. EditionU.S.InternationalArabicEspañolMexicoSet edition preferenceSign inNewsU.S.WorldPoliticsTechHealthEntertainmentLivingTravelMoneySportsVideoCNNgoLatest NewsMust Watch VideosDigital StudiosTVCNNgoScheduleCNN FilmsShows A-ZAnchors and Reporters A-ZOpinionsPolitical Op-EdsSocial CommentaryiReportMore…PhotosLongformInvestigationsCNN profiles A-Z CNN Films: Life ItselfMorgan Spurlock: Inside ManCity of TomorrowCNN 10: Big IdeasThe Guns ProjectCNNMoney: Most Innovative CitiesChange the ListCNN HeroesImpact Your WorldQuick LinksPhotosLongformInvestigationsCNN profiles A-Z The scene in Sydney: Grenades and gunfire grip Australia's biggest cityBy Hilary Whiteman and Susannah Cullinane, CNNUpdated 6:07 PM ET, Mon December 15, 2014Sydney cafe siege – A message of condolence is written on the pavement at Martin Place, Sydney on Wednesday, December 17. #illridewithyou became a trending hashtag on Twitter during the siege, expressing solidarity with Australian Muslims in the wake of deadly siege at the Lindt Cafe in Sydney.Hide Caption 1 of 23Sydney cafe siege – A woman walks past flowers placed by people as a mark of respect for the victims of Martin Place siege on Tuesday, December 16.Hide Caption 2 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Members of the Muslim community show their respect at Martin Place on December 16.Hide Caption 3 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Prime Minister Tony Abbott arrives with his wife Margaret to pay their respects at Martin Place on December 16.Hide Caption 4 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Australian flags fly at half mast on Sydney Harbour Bridge on December 16 following the fatal siege.Hide Caption 5 of 23Sydney cafe siege – An injured hostage is carried to an ambulance from a cafe in Sydney on December 16. Gunfire erupted early Tuesday as police stormed the Lindt Chocolate Cafe, where a gunman had been holding hostages since Monday morning.Hide Caption 6 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Hostages run toward police officers on December 16.Hide Caption 7 of 23Sydney cafe siege – A police officer and a paramedic escort a hostage away from the scene of the siege on December 16.Hide Caption 8 of 23Sydney cafe siege – An injured hostage is wheeled to an ambulance after shots were fired during the raid on the cafe.Hide Caption 9 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Two armed police officers stand ready to enter the cafe on December 16.Hide Caption 10 of 23Sydney cafe siege – A hostage stands by the front entrance of the cafe as she turns off the lights on Monday, December 15.Hide Caption 11 of 23Sydney cafe siege – A hostage runs toward police on December 15. She was one of five people seen fleeing the cafe.Hide Caption 12 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Police gather near the cafe on December 15.Hide Caption 13 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Hostages behind the cafe's window hold up a black flag with Arabic script on December 15.Hide Caption 14 of 23Sydney cafe siege – A police officer listens to a radio on December 15.Hide Caption 15 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Two hostages make it to safety outside the cafe on December 15.Hide Caption 16 of 23Sydney cafe siege – A police sniper walks to his vehicle on December 15.Hide Caption 17 of 23Sydney cafe siege – A journalist reports on the situation in Sydney.Hide Caption 18 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Armed police are seen outside the cafe on December 15.Hide Caption 19 of 23Sydney cafe siege – People rush past armed police near the cafe on December 15.Hide Caption 20 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Police close a street near the scene on December 15.Hide Caption 21 of 23Sydney cafe siege –  Police officers talk at the scene on December 15.Hide Caption 22 of 23Sydney cafe siege – Armed police patrol near the Sydney Opera House. Major landmarks in Sydney were evacuated as police responded to the hostage situation.Hide Caption 23 of 23Story highlights Explosions and gunfire heard as police storm Sydney cafe, ending siege Police move in after more hostages escapeHigh-profile attack in Sydney's central business district unprecedentedStreets usually bustling with city workers, tourists and shoppersDramatic scenes ended a tense hostage situation early Tuesday in Sydney, with sounds of an explosion and gunfire as Australian police stormed a cafe where a gunman had hours earlier taken more than 10 people hostage."The whole moment seemed to begin by the escape by our count of six or seven hostages; they ran out from the right-hand side of the cafe and flew down the steps and into the arms of the waiting police," Channel 7 reporter Chris Reason told CNN."At that point there were a couple of minutes of silence, a police unit moved in; we could see them in dark uniforms, night-vision goggles on, looking toward the door. There was a shot fired -- we think that at that point that it was the gunman firing a shot. We heard from one police officer saying that a hostage was down and at that point the police moved in," Reason said."We saw a lot of explosive material -- flash bangs as they're called, stun grenades to try to disrupt and startle the gunman as police units moved in from both sides of the cafe to try to get him before he could do any further damage."Live footage from the scene later showed heavily armed police running toward the Lindt Chocolate Cafe before at least four people were carried away on stretchers.Channel 7 reporter Sean Berry said the scene had been quiet for several hours before police swarmed the area.Map: Sydney central business districtEXPAND IMAGEJust WatchedWhat tactics were used in hostage crisis?replayMore Videos ...What tactics were used in hostage crisis? 02:23PLAY VIDEOJust WatchedFirefight occurs during hostage crisisreplayMore Videos ...Firefight occurs during hostage crisis 01:25PLAY VIDEOJust WatchedAnatomy of the deadly Sydney siegereplayMore Videos ...Anatomy of the deadly Sydney siege 01:57PLAY VIDEO"All of a sudden, gunfire, heavily armed police officers -- police en masse -- and those hostages (were) beginning to be brought out," he said.  On any ordinary workday, the scene in Sydney would have been packed with people crisscrossing Martin Place on their way to work, home and shops.But this week before Christmas, the inner-city streets fell silent."It is eerily quiet for the center of the city, which is normally humming with traffic and pedestrians. ... People would be normally walking the streets. They've roped off several blocks around Martin Place," said CNN's Anna Coren, who was about a block from the scene.Martin Place is a paved traffic-free zone, a pedestrian-friendly promenade a few blocks from the ferry terminal at Sydney Harbor. It's where people go to meet, have coffee and catch a train. Read: Sydney on alert as hostages held at cafe in heart of cityHeavily armed policeOutside the Lindt shop, heavily armed police, some in camouflage gear and armed with sniper rifles, had taken positions as negotiators attempted to talk to the man inside, since identified as Man Haron Monis, also known as Sheikh Haron, a self-styled Muslim cleric.Passers-by were herded back behind police barriers, while surrounding buildings were evacuated.Opposite the Lindt shop is the entrance to the Martin Place underground train station, where trains stopped running during the siege.Beyond the train station are the studios of Australian network Channel 7, whose huge glass windows act as the backdrop for early-morning programming, and where crowds are encouraged to gather.In the early hours of the standoff, the network, a CNN affiliate, turned its cameras around to film across the street. It captured the images that Channel 7 producer Patrick Byrne described as "shocking and chilling.""People were putting their hands up against the panes of glass at the cafe. This was just extraordinary," Byrne told the Australian Broadcasting Corp.Moments later a black flag bearing white Islamic writing was pressed against the window, drawing gasps from the newsroom, he said.Just WatchedHostage situation inside a Sydney cafereplayMore Videos ...Hostage situation inside a Sydney cafe 02:27PLAY VIDEOJust WatchedAbbott: Incident disturbing, terrifyingreplayMore Videos ...Abbott: Incident disturbing, terrifying 03:44PLAY VIDEOJust WatchedPolice: 'We are being tested today'replayMore Videos ...Police: 'We are being tested today' 03:36PLAY VIDEO "We've shut off the monitors that face onto Martin Place for fear that people inside the cafe might be able to see the pictures broadcast," Byrne said at the time.Picture emerging of alleged hostage-taker'Surreal' sceneFew live images of the cafe were broadcast amid police warnings not to disclose operational matters.Macquarie Radio Network reporter Glenn Wheeler described the scene as "very surreal.""There are literally hundreds or thousands of people wandering around with this expression of bewilderment," he told 2GB radio station. "We can't believe this is happening."He said hundreds, if not thousands, of people had assembled in nearby Hyde Park after being told to leave the area around Martin Place.Wheeler recounted a conversation he had with two German tourists who said, "We thought Sydney was safe." It was a sentiment that was apparent in the street and on social media.While Australia's operating under a "high" terror alert, a high-profile attack in Sydney's central business district was unexpected and unprecedented.Authorities are not explicitly referring to the incident as a "terror attack," but New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said police are on "a footing that would be consistent with a terrorist alert."Sydney residents expressed their shock and dismay."It's probably the first time in Australian history that something this major in regards to a terrorist threat has happened," Joshua Martin told Reuters. 'High' terror alert The hostage situation follows dozens of police terror raids in the city that have strained relations with the local Muslim community.Amid reports that as many as 100 Australians had left the country to support ISIS' quest to create a so-called Islamic State, authorities introduced tough new terror laws.The new regulations give authorities the power to imprison people for "advocating terrorism." They also criminalize travel to areas deemed by Australia's foreign minister as "no-go" zones, and impose stiff penalties for Australian citizens who leave the country to engage in foreign wars.Read: Why tough new terror laws could misfireIn September, Prime Minister Tony Abbott raised the country's terror threat level to "high" but said there had been "no specific intelligence of particular plots.""What we do have is intelligence that there are people with the intent and capability to mount attacks," Abbott said. 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