Police in western Sydney have charged five individuals in connection with a bold shooting that occurred in broad daylight in Merrylands yesterday morning. The incident was reported around 9:20 am on Earl Street, where thankfully, no one was home and no injuries were recorded.
Authorities believe the intended target of the shooting was Ali Elmoubayed, a senior associate of the Alameddine organisation. Elmoubayed had left his house shortly before the shooting to attend a court hearing in Parramatta for a bail review regarding his residential address. Detective Superintendent Jason Box emphasised that the perpetrators appeared to aim to inflict serious harm or potentially kill someone.
Following the shooting, a charred Porsche was discovered in Beverley Crescent, Chester Hill. Witnesses reportedly saw a group leaving the area in a Hyundai. Using PolAir’s surveillance capabilities, police tracked the suspects to Yagoona, where they attempted to escape on foot before being apprehended around 9:40 am on McMahon Road.
Among those arrested, three men aged 20, 22, and 23 faced multiple charges related to the shooting incident and were denied bail, set to appear in court today.
Simultaneously, police spotted a Ford Territory behaving erratically, which subsequently crashed on Prospect Road in Greystanes. Two 17-year-old boys in the vehicle were detained by bystanders until law enforcement arrived. A search of the car uncovered jerry cans of fuel, bleach, balaclavas, and a knife. Both teens have been charged with several offences, including involvement in a criminal group, with one additionally linked to a home invasion in Ermington that occurred in February. Similar to their older counterparts, the boys were refused bail and are scheduled to appear in court today.
The investigation into the Merrylands shooting continues, and police are exploring potential links between this incident and the crash in Greystanes.