Four charged after Kings Cross shooting

Updated

Sorry, this video has expired Video: Teens shot by police in Kings Cross (7pm TV News NSW)

A man and three teenagers have been charged over an incident in Sydney's east where a stolen car mounted a footpath and police shot two teenagers.

Police say six young males were in a stolen car on the main strip of Kings Cross early on Saturday morning when they were noticed by local officers.

It is alleged that prompted them to drive up onto the kerb and run over a 29-year-old woman.

Officers fired several times at the car.

The 14-year-old driver and 18-year-old front seat passenger were struck by bullets and are both in hospital in a stable condition.

A 24-year-old man and three boys aged 13, 14 and 16 in the back seat were arrested at the scene.

Police have charged them with being carried in conveyance.

They will appear in Parramatta Bail and Children's Court on today.

The incident is the third police shooting in New South Wales in less than a month.

The Police Association of NSW says the officers involved did the right thing.

Association president Scott Weber says the officers had to make a split-second decision and he supports their actions.

"We're damned if we do, damned if we don't. But in this situation, police officers did the right thing," he said.

"We had numerous pedestrians injured, we had numerous people jumping out on the road of the vehicle, trying to run away for their lives.

"What they did do is stop the vehicle and prevent any further injuries to the community.

"It was the only thing they could do."

Television footage of the incident shows police trying to resuscitate one of the teenagers before he was taken to hospital.

The 29-year-old woman who was pinned beneath the car sustained chest injuries and is being treated in hospital.

The two boys that were shot were Indigenous and from Redfern. There have been fears the incident will raise racial tensions within the community.

Police have met with Indigenous leaders in Redfern in an effort to diffuse tension, and are considering deploying more units to the suburb to prevent any potential unrest.

A spokeswoman for the family of one of the injured boys, Christine Nash, says she understands there has already been retaliation in Redfern over the shooting.

"The family has asked me to emphasise this has got nothing to do with Redfern," she said.

"They don't wish anymore trouble to be stirred up.

"I understand there has been some already this morning and they would like you to remember that this happened in Kings Cross. [It's] totally unrelated to Redfern and totally unrelated to any bikie shootings."

Ms Nash has called for any witnesses to come forward.

She has asked any witnesses to contact Redfern Indigenous leader Mick Mundine, who is also a friend of one of the boy's families.

The incident follows several other recent police shootings in the state. In late March, officers shot dead Darren Neill at Parramatta Westfield after he had been on a violent rampage.

Last Sunday, officers in Tenterfield in the state's north shot dead a man who they say was threatening them on a commune.

Map: Darlinghurst Road, Kings Cross

Topics: crime, law-crime-and-justice, kings-cross-2011, nsw, australia

First posted