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🇸🇬 Singapore /Crime & Justice

Sydney Police Hunt Gunman After Venue Fired Upon Ahead of Underworld Figure's Funeral

From The Straits Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Sydney police are searching for a gunman who fired shots at a venue intended for the funeral of a notorious underworld figure.
  • The victim, Lorenzo Lemalu, was killed in Vietnam last month, with two suspects arrested there.
  • The shooting occurred amid escalating gang violence in Sydney, with a previous incident involving mistaken identity.

A manhunt is underway in Sydney after a gunman unleashed a barrage of shots at a venue scheduled to host the funeral of a prominent underworld figure. Lorenzo Lemalu, identified as the purported leader of Sydney's "Coconut Cartel," was fatally shot last month in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese authorities subsequently arrested two Samoan nationals who confessed to the killing. On June 6, a video surfaced showing a man firing an assault rifle at the Sydney venue, reportedly at the direction of another individual. Police confirmed no one was injured and an abandoned car linked to the incident was found burned. The funeral proceeded at a Sydney mosque the following day. This incident highlights the growing threat of gang violence in Australia's largest city. Earlier this year, an elderly man was mistakenly kidnapped and killed, with police stating the perpetrators intended to target someone connected to a local crime network. Experts warn that organized crime groups are becoming increasingly reckless.

more reckless

— Vince HurleyA leading Australian criminologist's warning about the increasing boldness of organized crime groups.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Straits Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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