A man has been shot dead by police after a confrontation outside Australia’s busiest railway station.

The incident happened near a flower shop at one of the main entrances to Sydney’s Central station during peak-hour on Wednesday evening.

Police had been called following reports of an armed robbery, and the man was killed a short time later. New South Wales Police said the incident was not terrorism-related.

Witnesses told local media the man had been armed with scissors when he was shot dead.

Florist Manuel Theoharas said the man had moments earlier held a bottle to his neck and demanded he call police. « He said to me: ‘Don’t move, call the police’, » Mr Theoharas said. « When I ran away from him, he grabbed the scissors from here, from the shop. »

Witnesses reported seeing police officers surround the shop before shots were fired.

One man, Nick Mavros, told Australian Broadcasting Corp: « I heard ‘put it down, put it down’. »

Police acting assistant commissioner Mark Walton said: « A critical incident investigation has commenced following the death of a man during a confrontation with police. » « A male of Asian appearance has died following that confrontation with the police. « The homicide squad will now investigate all the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the discharge of a police firearms during the confrontation with the man. »

Police appealed for witnesses to come forward.