An 18-year-old drone operator has been charged with murder in connection with the suspected mistaken identity killing of an electrician in Sydney's west. Joshua MacDonald, 40, was shot dead on September 2 while walking to a home on Bruce Street in Merrylands West.
Police arrested the teenager, identified as Jimmy Schulz, in West Hoxton on Friday morning. He was charged with murder and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity. A drone seized during the arrest was allegedly found to contain evidence linking it to the fatal shooting. Schulz appeared in court on Saturday.
A second individual, aged 19, was also charged with participating in a criminal group in a way that contributed to criminal activity and was refused bail.
Authorities believe MacDonald, who had no known ties to organized crime, may have been mistaken for occupants of the house he was walking towards, who are reportedly known to police for organized crime activities. His aunt, Darlene Norton, described the incident as a "cold-blooded murder" and stated that her nephew may have died protecting his friend and the friend's children.
"That's Joshua all over. If he'd known those kids were in danger, (or if) anyone was in danger, he'd put himself in front (of them)," Ms. Norton told Seven News.
The family has questioned the effectiveness of police patrols in the area, suggesting that authorities should have been more proactive given the alleged criminal activity associated with the residence MacDonald was approaching.
In a separate incident the day before MacDonald's death, 23-year-old Marco Tapia was fatally shot in his bedroom in Glen Alpine. No arrests have been made in that case. Detectives are reportedly investigating whether these incidents, and potentially others, are being coordinated from overseas and carried out by local young offenders.
Despite the back-to-back killings, NSW Government ministers have stated that the situation is under control, with Police Minister Yasmin Catley asserting that police are doing everything they can to manage the challenging circumstances and that the government will not surrender the streets to organized crime gangs.