A man will appear in court today, the eighth charged over their alleged roles in a public place shooting in Merrylands last month, which includes a conspiracy to kidnap and murder another man.
On Tuesday, September 28, detectives from the State Crime Command’s Criminal Groups Squad received information relating to a public place shooting outside a home on William Street, Merrylands, which occurred the night before.
Their inquiries revealed shots were returned from the home at a white Mazda, which then left the scene.
Just after 5pm that day, Criminal Groups Squad detectives, assisted by the Raptor Squad, Robbery and Serious Crime Squad, Tactical Operations Unit, and PolAir, attended a home at Yennora, where five men, aged between 20 and 28-years-old, were arrested.
Four of the men, aged 20, 22 and two aged 24-years-old were charged with ‘participate criminal group contribute criminal activity’ and ‘fail to comply requirement public health order – COVID-19’. They remain before the court.
The 28-year-old man, who is a high-ranking member of the Nomads OMCG, was charged with ‘conspire and agree to murder any person’, ‘kidnap in company with intent serious indictable occasion actual bodily harm’, and ‘fail to comply requirement public health order – COVID-19’.
Police will allege in court that the man was involved in planning the kidnap and murder of another man.
Investigators have since laid an additional charge of ‘fire firearm manner likely injure persons/property’ and ‘possess unauthorised firearm’.
It will be further alleged the man shot at a white Mazda seen leaving the Merrylands home following the public place shooting last week.
The man has been formally refused bail to next appear at Fairfield Local Court on Wednesday, November 10.
Following further inquiries, a sixth man aged 48-years-old was arrested by detectives at Granville on Wednesday, October 6 and charged with ‘take person intend commit serious indictable offence’, ‘participate criminal group contribute criminal activity’, and ‘conspire and agree to murder any person’.
He has been formally refused bail to next at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday, November 10.
Additionally, a 23-year-old man was charged on October 7 for his alleged role in the incident.
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court on October 12.
As part of ongoing investigations, officers attached to North West Region Operation Talon arrested an eighth man aged 24-years-old following a foot pursuit in Westmead about 9pm last night on Thursday, October 14.
During a subsequent search of the man, police seized methylamphetamine.
During a subsequent search of the surrounding area, police located a mobile phone and handgun which will undergo further forensic examination.
He was taken to Parramatta Police Station and charged with ‘fire firearm at dwelling-house with disregard for safety’, ‘possess unauthorised firearm’, and ‘possess prohibited drug’.
Police will allege in court that the man was involved in the public place shooting at Merrylands, before leaving the area in the Mazda.
He has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court today.
Investigations by Criminal Groups Squad detectives continue.
This post was produced by our newsroom.