Detectives are investigating whether a man fatally shot outside a home in Sydney’s west was the unintended victim of a targeted attack, after a burst of gunfire brought emergency crews to Merrylands West on Wednesday afternoon.
Emergency services were called to a property in Bruce Street about 3:15pm following reports that a man had been shot. Paramedics treated the victim, who was reported to be in his 40s, for gunshot wounds, but he died at the scene.
The man had not been formally identified when police briefed reporters. No arrest had been announced, and investigators were still working to establish who fired the shots and why.
Police examine mistaken-identity possibility
NSW Police Superintendent Simon Glasser said the victim was not adversely known to police and had no known connection to organised crime. However, police said people linked to the address where the shooting occurred were well known to authorities through organised-crime investigations.
That distinction has led detectives to examine whether the gunmen targeted the wrong person. Glasser described mistaken identity as a possibility, while emphasising that the inquiry was at an early stage.
Police believe the victim arrived at the property with a resident and two young children shortly before the shooting. The children were understood to have been inside the home when the shots were fired. Investigators are examining whether the group had just returned from a nearby school and whether the victim was followed to Bruce Street.
The victim did not live at the address, according to police. Detectives were working to clarify his relationship with the occupants, with Glasser saying he was likely to have been a business associate.
Getaway vehicle captured on CCTV
Investigators reviewing security footage identified a grey Audi sedan seen leaving the area shortly after the shooting. Police said the vehicle was last observed travelling west along Bruce Street.
Residents described hearing a rapid series of shots on a suburban street they regarded as normally quiet. Police established a crime scene around the property, with officers and forensic specialists examining the street, fencing and surrounding homes for evidence.
Authorities have appealed for witnesses, dash-camera recordings and other footage from the area around the time of the attack. Information can be provided to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through its website.
Second fatal shooting under investigation
The Merrylands West killing came one day after 23-year-old university student Marco Tapia was shot dead inside his family’s Glen Alpine home in south-west Sydney. Police have said Mr Tapia appeared to have no links to organised crime and are also investigating whether he was killed in a case of mistaken identity.
In that incident, multiple attackers are believed to have entered the home at about 3:40am while the family was sleeping. Mr Tapia died at the scene. Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said the available information indicated an innocent life had been lost to organised crime.
Investigators have not confirmed that the Glen Alpine and Merrylands West shootings are connected. Police said, however, that recent conflicts involving criminal networks would form part of their inquiries into the latest death.
Investigation remains active
The two killings have intensified concern about public safety and the risk posed when suspected underworld violence reaches homes and residential streets. NSW Premier Chris Minns changed part of his schedule during an official visit to India to receive a briefing from senior police and government officials.
For investigators, the immediate focus remains identifying the Merrylands West victim, tracing the Audi and establishing the intended target. Until those questions are resolved, police are treating the mistaken-identity theory as one line of inquiry rather than a confirmed motive.
The investigation is continuing, and police have urged anyone with relevant information not to approach suspected offenders but to contact authorities.
