Sydney siege: 'Do you want me to shoot you, too?' Father of four asked by gunman after bumping him in the street

Craig Stoker believes he bumped into the gunman after buying a coffee from the café

'Do you want me to shoot you, too?' gunman reportedly told a man he bumped into in the street (7 News | Associated Press)

A father of four has spoken of the moment he believes he came face-to-face with the gunman currently holding people hostage in a Sydney café, before the siege began.

Craig Stoker told the Australian Daily Telegraph that he visited the Lindt café to buy a coffee on Monday and was walking down Phillip Street when the gunman apparently walked past him, bumping him with his bag.

“He was wearing a black T-shirt with white writing on it and a headband and carrying a blue bag,” Mr Stoker told the newspaper.

Mr Stoker, from Eastlakes, said he told the man to “watch where you are f**king going,” and said the man turned around and responded with: “Do you want me to shoot you, too?”

Mr Stoker said he was “pretty freaked out” by the incident, adding that he “looked in to the man’s eyes and they were crazy”.

It was some time later that Mr Stoker learned of the hostage situation inside the café in Martin Place.

around 15 are being held hostage by the gunman

Police negotiators have revealed they suspect they now know the name of the gunman, but have asked media not to reveal his identity.