Operation Burnside
5pm
The body of Mr Sime has been removed from the front entrance to the house this afternoon about 3.30pm and the post mortem will be commenced this evening and continue into tomorrow. Cordons remain in place.
However residents evacuated from their homes are not likely to be allowed back to their properties for a day or two. About 40 residents are affected.
"We are mindful this will be disruptive but we will be working thoroughly."
The police officer has had minor surgery this afternoon to remove pellets from his face and will make a full recovery.
The civilian received a gun shot blast with pellets from his shoulder to his groin. He is also in a stable condition. He had been standing near his front door and escaped over a rear fence. He has not yet been interviewed.
DS Brett Kane says that Mr Sime had been a licensed Firearms holder since 2006, which gave him a license to Category A firearms. He belonged to a gun club. He had a shot gun and a high calibre fire weapon. The house examination has not yet been started so it is not known if there are any other weapons.
A report that police had previously been called to the address over a firearms incident has been clarified. In February this year a neighbour reported shots, this was investigated and Mr Sime was found to be firing his son's bb gun at a cardboard box.
No offence was established.
The sequence of events has still to be confirmed however police were called around 8pm and AOS set up a cordon around 8.20pm. Negotiations were established and continued for about 2 hours. It took some time to establish dialogue.
There was indiscriminate shooting throughout the event. The number of shots will be confirmed from the investigation however a neighbour counted at least 82 shots.
"Shots were fired from the front and rear of the property and Mr Sime showed some agility," says Detective Superintendent Kane. "This was a very dangerous situation. There was extensive damage to a neighbouring house and there is large amount of wadding on the lawn."
Mr Sime appeared to have lived alone.