An 18-year-old man has been charged after an 11-year-old boy was shot in the face and neck inside a unit in Sydney’s north-west, leaving the child in a serious condition in hospital.
Emergency services were called to a home on Fairway Drive at Norwest about 5pm on Monday following reports of a shooting. Paramedics treated the boy at the scene before taking him to hospital for urgent, life-saving care.
Police said their initial information indicated the shot was fired from inside the unit. An extensive crime scene was established as detectives began examining how the firearm came to be at the property and what occurred before the child was injured.
Three men arrested during early investigation
Three 18-year-old men were arrested as part of the investigation. Two were later released pending further inquiries, while the third was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence.
The charged man is due to appear in Blacktown Local Court on Tuesday. The charge relates to the alleged concealment of information about a serious offence; police have not alleged in their public statements that he fired the weapon. Allegations against him have not been tested in court, and he is entitled to the presumption of innocence.
Police said four 18-year-old men and a 44-year-old woman were inside the unit at the time. They were not physically injured and were assisting investigators. Officers were working to establish the sequence of events and the roles, if any, of those present.
Origin and location of firearm under investigation
Superintendent Naomi Moore said no firearms were registered to the Norwest address. Police were investigating how the gun entered the home, what type of firearm was involved and where it was located after the shooting.
Moore said it was too early to provide a definitive account of what happened inside the apartment. Specialist police and other resources were deployed to the scene as officers gathered evidence and spoke with witnesses.
Authorities had no information at that stage suggesting the shooting was connected to organised crime. That distinction was emphasised amid heightened concern in Sydney following a series of suspected mistaken-identity shootings. Police have not linked the Norwest incident to those cases.
Child receiving hospital treatment
The boy remained in a serious condition while receiving treatment for wounds to his face and neck. His mother was with him in hospital, police said.
Moore described the situation as tragic and acknowledged the distress facing the child’s family. Police did not publicly release the boy’s identity, and reporting has withheld identifying details because of his age.
The investigation remains at an early stage. Detectives are expected to rely on forensic examination of the unit, witness accounts and any available surveillance or digital evidence as they determine how the shooting occurred.
Police appeal for information
Anyone with information that could assist the inquiry should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit information through the Crime Stoppers NSW website. Information can be provided confidentially.
Members of the public should not speculate about responsibility while inquiries continue. The circumstances of the shooting, ownership of the firearm and whether any further charges will be laid remain matters for investigators.
The case follows a period of intense public attention on firearms violence in Sydney, but police cautioned against assuming a broader criminal connection before evidence had been assessed. Further updates are expected as the boy’s medical condition and the investigation develop.
