The partner of a conspiracy theorist who clashed with police has been filmed handing himself in to heavily armed officers after brandishing a rifle.
Daniel James Whelan, 29, was found dead at his home on Kuerwol Rd in Boenfels, west of the Blue Mountains, about 8.50am on Monday.
He was holed up inside his property for 21 hours with his girlfriend Ursula Saunders, 20, after police were called to his home to report a man and a woman fighting.
Officers spoke to the couple from a distance before they locked themselves inside the property and refused to come out.
Whelan, who owns multiple firearms, began shooting at police around 4 p.m. before officers opened fire.
Dramatic footage has emerged of Ursula Saunders (pictured), 20, emerging from a Boenfels property holding a .22 rifle in the air before handing herself into police after a confrontation with fellow officers.
Dramatic footage has emerged of the moment the siege ended abruptly, showing a distraught Mrs Saunders leaving the property holding a .22 rifle in the air.
He dropped the firearm on the ground and walked over to the tactical response team as they called.
Officers pulled the young woman over when she tried to talk to them.
Tactical officers, armed with assault rifles, then stormed the property and found Whelan’s body inside.
Police sources claim Whelan was a known conspiracy theorist with anti-government and anti-police views, The Daily Telegraph reported.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Scott Tanner said he wanted to police ‘some serious matters in 2021’ which involved ‘domestic violence matters and matters involving firearms’.
Whelan has previously been charged in court with possession of an unlicensed firearm, armed with intent to commit a felony and commit a felony, kidnapping and stalking/intimidation.
Daniel James Whelan (pictured), 29, a conspiracy theorist with anti-government and anti-police views, was found dead inside his property after a 21-hour standoff with police.
Whelan was armed with multiple firearms and allegedly shot heavily armed police who returned fire (pictured, police officers during the standoff).
Ms Saunders recorded a video during the tense police standoff on Sunday night.
‘It’s 6.44pm on Querwool Road, I’m sitting behind a stack of rice with the dog because I’m hiding from the police…’ she says in the clip.
‘I am not afraid of my partner, I love him very much.’
Ms Saunders accused police of shooting ‘through my house without marking a target’ and pointed to a hole in the wall – believed to be from a bullet.
She held back tears as she trembled as she spoke to the camera.
Police only became aware that Whelan was in possession of a firearm after they arrived at the property.
NSW Police said shots were later fired from the home.
“At 4.20pm, several shots were fired at the police from the direction of the house, the police returned fire,” a spokesman said.
‘No one was injured during the exchange.’
Whelan’s distressed partner Ursula Saunders (pictured), 20, recorded a video inside the property during the tense standoff with police.
Police repeatedly tried to encourage the couple to come out, but they refused.
Ms Saunders left the house on Monday, with Commissioner Tanner telling reporters that ‘she came out of her own free will’.
‘(Ms Saunders) is now in hospital, being assessed, and the police will no doubt be speaking to her later today (to find out) what the situation was with her at home,’ he said.
Ms Saunders is assisting the police investigation and is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Commissioner Tanner gave an insight into the enormous difficulties facing officers.
“Policing is a very dangerous profession and profession in many areas and what we saw yesterday is an example of that,” he said.
‘The police do not come in expecting such things, and their (officers’) welfare is being looked after.’
Ms Saunders claimed police shot at the house ‘without aiming’ and posted a picture of a hole in the wall (pictured).
The commissioner said the police’s crime scene unit was at the scene and was conducting a ‘thorough examination’.
‘We found a firearm and other related types of weapons at the entrance of the house. But that (crime scene) examination will take some time.’
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