26/08/2026
🚨 UPPER SWAN CCTV CAPTURES ACT THAT TRIGGERED A FLURRY OF GUNSHOT REPORTS TO POLICE 🚨
“Did anyone else hear what sounded like gunshots?”
It’s one of the most familiar questions in local Facebook groups — and one that often attracts ridicule when the source eventually turns out to be fireworks.
But CCTV from Upper Swan demonstrates exactly why people can struggle to tell the difference.
The footage shows a person apparently lighting fireworks before getting into a vehicle and driving away. Separate CCTV from further away captures the fireworks exploding in the sky.
For people several streets away, however, there was no colourful display to provide that context — only a series of loud explosions.
The incident prompted a flurry of reports of possible gunshots to police.
Unlike some other countries, most Australians have very little exposure to the sound of real gunfire. At the same time, the unauthorised use of fireworks can produce sudden, extremely loud bangs in suburban areas with no warning.
That combination puts members of the public in a difficult position. If you can’t see the source, there may be very little information available to distinguish fireworks from gunfire, an explosion or another serious incident.
So the next time someone asks “Did anyone else hear those gunshots?”, remember that they don’t have the benefit of watching the CCTV afterwards.
If something sounds genuinely concerning, report what you actually heard or witnessed — including the location, approximate time, number of sounds and direction. If there is an immediate threat or emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
