Australia: Investigation launched into shooting of replica gun near Sydney's Parliament House

Sydney: A police investigation is underway after a man allegedly fired a replica firearm near the state parliament building in Sydney, Australia.

Police in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said that a man was reportedly seen firing a replica firearm into the ground in central Sydney near Parliament House shortly after 1 p.m. local time on Thursday, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement, NSW Police said that initial inquiries suggested the weapon could be a gel blaster - a type of life-like gun toy that shoots gel pellets. Gel blasters are currently illegal in NSW.

Police said the man left the scene in a vehicle before officers arrived.

No injuries have been reported.

A crime scene has been established, and police have urged any witnesses or anyone with information about the incident to come forward.