19-year-old charged in Sydney school pick-up attempted shooting linked to gangland plot
Consensus Summary
As of the reporting date, the investigation remains ongoing, with police vowing to identify all individuals involved in the plot. Kulitapa’s next court appearance is scheduled for December 17, and authorities have not ruled out further arrests. The SMH and 7NEWS both note that the victims, particularly the 15-year-old girl, continue to be affected by the incident, with police acknowledging the psychological toll. The ABC and SMH also reference the broader implications of the case, including the use of young offenders in gangland activities and the risks they face. While the immediate threat to the victims has been neutralized, the long-term consequences for Kulitapa and the broader criminal network remain uncertain.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- A 19-year-old man named David Kulitapa was arrested on Wednesday and charged with offences including attempting to discharge loaded arms with intent to murder.
- The attempted shooting occurred at approximately 3pm on June 9 outside a school in Fairfield, targeting a 44-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl in a ute.
- The gunman’s weapon jammed twice, preventing shots from being fired, allowing the victims to escape uninjured but distressed.
- Kulitapa was arrested during a vehicle stop in Sans Souci on Wednesday afternoon, with police also executing a search warrant in Cronulla.
- Kulitapa’s case was heard in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday, where no bail was formally refused, and he was remanded in custody until December 17.
- The victims were targeted due to familial ties to the Alameddine crime family, though they were not directly involved in organised crime.
- Kulitapa allegedly installed a tracking device on the victims’ vehicle and coordinated the attack, which was described as a ‘targeted and calculated’ plot.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The 44-year-old man was associated with the Alameddine network but had no organised crime links, according to Detective Superintendent Jason Box.
- The NSW Department of Education heightened security at the nearby school following the incident.
- Kulitapa was charged with installing a tracking device to find an object without consent and knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group.
- The gunman chased the 15-year-old girl down the street after the first jam, attempting to shoot her a second time before fleeing.
- Kulitapa was allegedly contracted by the Coconut Cartel’s offshore ringleaders to coordinate the shooting.
- Detective Acting Superintendent Jason Smith stated that Kulitapa had tracked the victims for several days before the attack.
- The SMH notes that Kulitapa was a rising NSW Cup star contracted to the Parramatta Eels before the incident.
- The article mentions Taskforce Falcon’s arrest of hundreds of teenagers since last May, following the mistaken-identity killing of Condell Park plumber John Versace.
- The gunman allegedly pointed a gun through the window of the ute at approximately 3pm on June 9.
- CCTV footage shows the father and daughter running for safety down a side street after the incident.
- The 7NEWS article specifies that Kulitapa was arrested during a traffic stop at about 1.25pm on Wednesday, slightly earlier than the ABC’s ‘Wednesday afternoon’.
- The article describes the attack as occurring on Hamilton Road in Fairfield West.
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The ABC and 7NEWS mention the arrest time as ‘Wednesday afternoon’ and ‘about 1.25pm on Wednesday,’ respectively, while the SMH does not specify the exact time of Kulitapa’s arrest.
- The SMH states the gunman chased the 15-year-old girl down the street after the first jam, while the ABC and 7NEWS do not explicitly mention this chase.
- The ABC refers to the 44-year-old man as having ‘no organised crime links,’ while the SMH and 7NEWS describe him as targeted due to familial ties to the Alameddine crime family, without explicitly stating his own criminal involvement.
Source Articles
19yo charged over Sydney school pick-up attempted shooting
A 44-year-old man and his 15-year-old daughter managed to get out of their car and runaway from the gunman, who was dressed in black and wearing a balaclava.
Teenager allegedly tracked assassination targets for days before botched school shooting
Detectives allege 19-year-old David Kulitapa plotted to kill a relative of the Alameddine crime family and his teenage daughter outside a Sydney school.
Fresh details emerge of alleged attempted gangland hit outside school after teenager charged
A 19-year-old man has been accused of masterminding the bungled hit.
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