A retiree has been accused of shooting an esteemed lawyer in the groin in his office before hero employees pinned the alleged gunman to the ground.
Police allege that Sinve Vulic, 79, entered the ninth floor offices of Van Cooney Lawyers on Castlereagh Street in Sydney’s CBD at 12.50pm on Wednesday, brandishing a gun and carrying a bag containing It contained a sawed-off M1 carbine semi-automatic rifle.
Vulic asked to speak to the company’s director, Van Cooney himself, before shooting him in the groin with the pistol, police allege.
“Five or six” brave office workers, including the injured Cooney, 77, restrained Vulic until police arrived three minutes later.
Other office staff then provided first aid to Mr Cooney, who was taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a stable condition.
Police allege the gunman asked to speak to Van Cooney (pictured) at his law office on Wednesday afternoon before shooting him in the groin.
New South Wales Police are seen following a shooting on Castlereagh Street in Sydney, Wednesday February 28, 2024.
Vulic was charged overnight with shooting with intent to murder; two counts of acquiring a pistol, subject to firearms prohibition order; two counts of possession of a loaded firearm endangering life in a non-public place; and two counts of possession of a prohibited and unauthorized firearm.
He will appear at Downing Center Local Court on Thursday.
Police believe the incident was a personal dispute.
Terrified onlookers recalled the horrifying moment paramedics carried an injured Cooney out the door before rushing him to hospital.
The building contains several other law firms, including O’Brien Criminal and Civil Solicitors and Princeton Lawyers, as well as the Consulate General of Greece.
Detective Inspector David El-Badawi praised the police for their quick response, revealing that the first officers arrived at the scene three minutes after receiving calls for help.
New South Wales Police said they were not aware of the relationship between the two elderly men.
“The people inside the office were very brave,” Detective El-Badawi said.
Daily Mail Australia spoke to an office worker who confirmed he had helped subdue the alleged gunman, but declined to comment further.
Van Cooney, 77, (pictured) was allegedly shot inside a law firm building in inner-city Sydney on Wednesday afternoon.
Co-workers Cassie Economides (left) and Rochelle Connell (right) had just left the building when they witnessed police chasing a man wearing a dark T-shirt.
Here, police officers run towards the scene of the shooting on Castlereagh St in Sydney.
Detective El-Badawi described the alleged shooting as “isolated.”
Inspector Dominic Wong of NSW Ambulance said officers provided first aid to Mr Cooney.
“I think the projectile had entered his body; it was not a scratch. But when we arrived at the scene he was not actively bleeding,” Inspector Wong told reporters.
‘He was in stable condition. All of his vital signs were within normal limits.
Sydney university students Arabella Fennessy and Peniana Blair, both 17, witnessed the aftermath of the alleged shooting.
“We were taking the bus on Elizabeth Street and we saw all these police cars and ambulances running up this street,” Ms Fennessy said.
‘We waited with a crowd for about 15 minutes and then they took a man out on a stretcher. He came out of the building with the Greek flag (on it).’
Mrs Blair added: “He looked like he was in a critical condition.” He was lying on the stretcher with his eyes closed.
Co-workers Cassie Economides and Rochelle Connell had just left the building when they witnessed police chasing a man wearing a dark T-shirt.
“We were going out to lunch around 12:50 when we saw this guy being chased by a dozen police officers,” Ms. Economides said.
‘He ran past us and into the building. We didn’t see if he had a gun or anything, but the police ran out of his car and chased him into the building.
The co-workers did not hear the gunshot and did not know that a man had allegedly been shot.
‘It was so scary. We were thinking, ‘What’s going on?'” Mrs. Connell added.
The injured man is seen being taken to an ambulance on Castlereagh Street.
Pictured is the scene of a shooting in Sydney’s financial district on Wednesday afternoon.