Police raid Sydney chocolate shop, free hostages
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Police have launched an assault with live rounds after a group of hostages fled from the Lindt cafe building in Sydney, after being held captive since early yesterday.
The bang of a door alerted heavily armed police to the hostages preparing to run out.
One man ran out the door with his hands raised before falling to the ground, police patting him down before whisking him away.Another group of five then sprinted out the door to safety.
Police opened the door to a hair of apparent gunfire, and responded in turn with live ammunition and stun grenades.
In the confusion, most hostages were escorted away by police, but two were put on stretchers by paramedics.
Earlier, half a dozen families of those being had gathered at a nearby St James building, with police keeping them updated as to the negotiations.
