Two people are reportedly dead and three more are reportedly in serious condition after heavily-armed police stormed the Lindt Cafe in Sydney this morning. Just before the raid, several more hostages fled the cafe, where they'd been held by a gunman—identified as Man Haron Monis, a self-proclaimed cleric—for more than 16 hours. Police have confirmed that the siege is now over, though they have not yet confirmed any casualties or injuries.

From the Guardian:

There are large groups of people emerging from the building. They all look like emergency services.

There's one person on a stretcher, lying on their side.

At least four people have been wheeled out on trolleys, one appearing to be having CPR performed on them.


UPDATE 1:40 pm: Police have confirmed that two hostages—a 38-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man—were killed along with the gunman. Four other people were reportedly injured in the siege.

UPDATE 1:04 pm: New South Wales police have confirmed that the gunman, identified earlier as Man Haron Monis, is dead.

UPDATE 12:29 pm: The CBS is reporting that three people were treated for injuries at a Sydney hospital.

CNN is also reporting that the gunman was killed. From CNN:

Australian special forces and police stormed the Lindt cafe in Sydney early Tuesday from two directions, and the hostage-taker was shot and killed, a national security source in the United States told CNN. There were at least nine people in the building at the time, the source said. The gunman was wearing a thick black vest and law enforcement was concerned it could contain explosives, the source said. An ordnance team cleared the building and checked the gunman, the source said. No information was given on whether any explosives were found.

UPDATE 11:23 am: Sky News and Sydney's 7 News are now reporting that the gunman was one of two people killed during the siege. The other person killed was a hostage, according to 7 News.