Two people have been charged over a shooting in which gunmen fired into a Sydney venue on Saturday afternoon. Police allege that nearly 30 bullets were fired into the building during the attack. The shooting was linked by police to the funeral of a known Sydney crime figure. Despite the volume of gunfire, no one was hurt in the incident.
According to police, the attackers fired into a venue space they believed was hosting the funeral of Lorenzo Lamalu. Lamalu was a known Sydney gangster associated with what is known as the Coconut Cartel. The shooting was tied to an ongoing feud connected to the city's criminal underworld. The brazen daytime attack had drawn significant attention.
The reason no one was harmed was that the funeral was not actually held at the targeted venue. Police revealed that the funeral organizers had consulted with them beforehand. As a result, the location of the service was changed. That decision meant the venue struck by gunfire was empty at the time of the attack.
The funeral itself went ahead the following day. It took place on Sunday at Lakemba Mosque. The service was held under heavy police guard. The level of security reflected the tensions surrounding the case.
The man at the center of the funeral, Lorenzo Lamalu, had died some weeks earlier. He was killed in Vietnam nearly three weeks ago. He was later buried in Leppington. His death and funeral became the focus of the alleged plot behind the shooting.
Police have now charged two people in connection with the shooting. One is Ronald Donovan, a 23-year-old man from Busby. Police say Donovan was not actually present on the day of the attack. However, they allege he helped the other two involved in setting up the assault.
Police say the actual shooting was carried out by a 17-year-old boy. A third person, who allegedly filmed the attack and drove the vehicle on the day, is still being sought. Both the 17-year-old and Donovan appeared before court today. They were both denied bail.