After being accused of trying to shoot and kill a septuagenarian lawyer at a Sydney city center office, an old man has shown up in court.
Around 12.50 p.m. on Wednesday, in the premises of the younger man’s law company bearing his name, Solicitor Van Cooney, 77, was shot during what is believed to have been an attack by pensioner Sinve Vulic, 79.
The location is next to a significant Sydney court complex and is also the home of multiple other law companies.
At the time of the incident, Vulic was reportedly carrying a loaded CZ45 handgun and a loaded M1 carbine semiautomatic rifle with the shoulder butt removed.
After the arrest, Detective Inspector David El-Badawi stated that when officers arrived on the site in three minutes, they discovered five to six workers restraining the alleged gunman on the ground.
“On Wednesday, he told reporters that the people who worked in the office were very brave.”
“They restrained the offender until police arrived.”
Ken Buckman, Vulic’s attorney, made a brief appearance at Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday and asked that the 79-year-old be given medical examinations while he was being held.
The matter was not requested for bail, and the court will hear it again on May 2.
Although the nature of Vulic and Cooney’s relationship was unknown, El-Badawi stated that authorities had ruled out any connection to illegal motorcycle gangs.
When paramedics came, the man’s condition was stable despite the weapon firing one bullet into his groin.
Inspector Dominic Wong of NSW Ambulance stated, “When we got on scene, it wasn’t actively bleeding, but it wasn’t a graze either.”
“I do believe there was first aid rendered by the people in the premises and that obviously assisted with his treatment.”
The 77-year-old’s condition was stable when he was brought to St. Vincent’s Hospital.
Vulic is charged with seven crimes, including two counts of carrying a loaded gun in a non-public area with the purpose to kill, two counts of having an unauthorized or forbidden firearm, and two counts of shooting with the intent to kill.
In addition, he is charged with two counts of obtaining a firearm in violation of a ban on firearms.
