Men admit to role in Sunbury Macca’s police shooting
Three men have admitted their role in a dramatic shooting that caused police officers to seek refuge inside a McDonald’s restaurant.
Three men have admitted their role in a dramatic police shootout at a Melbourne McDonald’s.
Cruz Noonan, Joel Papa, and Mate Vulic appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, where their lawyers told the court they would plead guilty to six, five, and two charges respectively.
On August 13, 2019, police were patrolling Sunbury in Melbourne’s outer northwest when shots were fired at their vehicle about 3.15am.
The officers took refuge in Sunbury McDonald’s while waiting for backup.
While the officers were inside the restaurant, further shots were fired at their car before it was rammed.
The court heard on Wednesday that Papa drove the vehicle while Noonan egged him on.
But Noonan was the one to fire the gun into the police car, the court heard.
Noonan, who appeared over videolink from a residential rehabilitation facility, indicated through his lawyer on Wednesday he would plead guilty to six charges relating to the events.
He admitted to damaging an emergency service vehicle by driving, possessing ammunition without a licence, driving while unlicensed, committing an indictable offence while on bail, possessing a general category handgun, and discharging a firearm in a public place.
Papa will plead guilty to committing an indictable offence while on bail, driving while disqualified, damaging an emergency vehicle by driving, discharging a firearm in a public place, and negligently dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Vulic will plead guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice and possessing a trafficable quantity of firearms.
The court heard Vulic had “deleted CCTV footage, which implicated him in the possession of firearms”.
Papa and Vulic both appeared over videolink from custody.
Assistant Commissioner Luke Cornelius said after the attack in August police were “appalled” by the behaviour of the men.
“Police are here to keep the community safe,” he said.
“Our police when they come to work, come to work expecting to make a difference.
“They don’t expect to be shot at, they don’t expect to have their vehicles rammed by offenders who are seeking to do us harm.”
They will reappear on Thursday, where Noonan and Cruz will argue they should be sentenced in the Magistrates Court rather than the higher County Court.