Three confirmed dead after Sydney hostage crisis ends.

Three people are dead after a dramatic firefight ended a day-long siege at a Martin Place cafe early this morning.

The gunfire is believed to have broken out about 2am after the gunman Man Haron Monis reportedly dozed off, only to discover several of the hostages attempting to slip free.

It is believed he then opened fire at least three times, prompting heavily-armed police to storm the cafe, firing off several bursts and throwing ‘flashbang’ stun grenades.

The 50-year-old self-styled Muslim cleric, took the group of 17 people hostage yesterday morning.

Three people have been confirmed dead, including the gunman, a 34-year-old male hostage and a 38-year-old male hostage.

Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said police stormed the cafe after hearing “a number of gunshots from inside”.

It is believed Monis fired off up to three shots at the fleeing hostages.

“To the people of Sydney, this was an isolated incident… it was an act of an individual and should not change how we go about our business,” he told reporters this morning.

He praised the hostages for their courage during the ordeal.

“They were just buying a cup of coffee and got caught up in this affair… they were caught up in this room and needed to make hard decisions,” he said.

He also confirmed no explosives were found inside the building, despite some earlier reports.

It is still unknown how the gunman and two hostages died.

Iranian-born Monis was shunned by the mainstream Muslim community for his radical views and was on bail at the time of the attack in relation to the murder of his ex-wife.

He first came to attention of police when he penned letters to the family of dead Australian soldiers seven years ago. He had also been charged with more than 50 allegations of indecent and sexual assault, reported to have occurred while he operated as “spiritual healer”.

Monis had been quiet for nine hours in the lead up to the dramatic storming of the building, when suddenly one man ran from the building with his hands raised.

After dropping to the ground, he was quickly frisked by heavily armed police and taken away.

Another group of five then sprinted out the door to safety.

A second bang was heard, when a seventh hostage ran out into the arms of police.

Police opened the door and used live ammunition and several stun grenades.

The seventh hostage was then ushered away before more gunfire erupted.

Two women were taken to hospital with “non-life threatening injuries”, police said, one is believed to have suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder.

In the confusion, most hostages were escorted away by police, but two were put on stretchers by paramedics.

One police officer suffered minor injuries to his face from shotgun pellets.

Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/12/15/10/00/major-police-operation-in-sydneys-martin-place#Z7D6ECkpMx1q69JQ.99