The assailant walked into the Lindt Chocolate Café, at the top of Sydney’s Martin Place in the city center, at around 9:45 a.m. local time, locking the door and capturing an unknown number of cafe staff and coffee and chocolate drinkers, some picking up a caffeine hit on their way to work, others taking a midmorning break.

Hostages Flee as Sydney Standoff Drags On - NYTimes.com