An alleged criminal group has been dismantled and eight people have been arrested following a fatal shooting in Sydney’s south-west, which police believe was a case of mistaken identity.
Investigators have arrested eight people after carrying out search warrants across Sydney and the Central Coast, including Drummoyne, Wattle Grove, Miller, Homebush West, Moorebank and Gorokan at 6am today.
The arrests relate to a shooting in Greenacre earlier this year when a 25-year-old man was found in a car with critical injuries on July 23 this year.
He was taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.
A 22-year-old man and a 19-year-old woman were also found injured in a separate vehicle.
The man is still suffering from “life-altering” spinal injuries, while the woman has recovered.
Police believe that all three were targeted by a criminal syndicate in a case of mistaken identity.
“This criminal group were of the mistaken belief they could do what they wanted when they wanted and showed a blatant disregard for human life in carrying out such a brazen attack on innocent people,” Detective Chief Superintendent Jason Weinstein said.
“But today shows they can’t get away with it. And to the person who pulled the trigger in this murder: we are closing in on you as we speak.
“The mission of Task Force Magnus was never just to solve standalone acts of violence, but to dismantle the responsible criminal networks in their entirety.
Read Related Also: 8-year-old Illinois boy ‘was like a little skeleton,’ weighed just 30 pounds at time of death: testimony
“Today is evidence of that.”
Two men, 39 and 25, were removed from a correction facility in Parklea and taken to Riverstone Police station, where they were arrested and are expected to be charged over their alleged involvement in the shooting.
A 27-year-old man was removed from a separate correctional facility in Wellington. He has been placed under arrest and is expected to be charged with accessory before the fact to murder.
A 25-year-old man has been arrested from Wattle Grove, where he is expected to be charged with offences related to allegedly being involved in a criminal group.
A 21-year-old woman was arrested in Moorebank where she is expected to be charged over allegedly being involved in a criminal group.
A 40-year-old man was arrested in Gorokan and is expected to be charged with offences relating to his alleged involvement in a criminal group.
Two men, aged 24 and 40, were arrested in Drummoyne.
The 40-year-old is expected to be charged over alleged links to a criminal network.
The 24-year-old is expected to be charged over his alleged involvement in the shooting.
