Four teenagers charged after drive-by shooting of UtaiImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Matt Utai played 167 NRL games across spells with the Canterbury Bulldogs and Wests TigersByBobbie JacksonBBC Sport journalistPublished17 minutes agoNew South Wales Police has charged four teenagers over the drive-by shooting of former NRL player Matt Utai and the alleged arson attacks targeting his family in Sydney. Utai sustained gunshot wounds to his leg and shoulder during a drive-by shooting in Sydney suburb Greenacre on Tuesday.
A 16-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man have both been charged with “accessory after the fact to shoot at with intent to murder”.
A 18-year-old and another 19-year-old have both been charged with damaging property by fire, while the latter was also charged with supplying prohibited drugs.
Utai, 44, remains in a serious condition after undergoing surgery for his injuries.
Police stated the shots had been fired from a white SUV, which was later found burned out in nearby Wiley Park.
On Wednesday, police attended a further incident after shots were fired at a house in St Clair. A woman in her 50s was at home but was not injured.
A short time after they found a car on fire in Colyton and later the same day a house and vehicle were found ablaze in Guildford West.
New South Wales Police department stated a task force was assembled to investigate the incidents – all of which are believed to have been targeting the same family.
