Joshua MacDonald, a 40-year-old electrical contractor, was fatally shot in front of a western Sydney home on Wednesday afternoon in what police are investigating as a case of mistaken identity.
MacDonald was walking to a property on Bruce Street in Merrylands West when gunmen in a stolen Audi sedan opened fire, striking him and killing him instantly. Police confirmed MacDonald had no ties to organized crime. He was reportedly visiting the home of individuals allegedly known to police for involvement in organized crime.
"The victim arrived at the property with a resident, from the property, and two young children," Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser stated Wednesday. "People associated with this address have links to organised crime. It is a possibility that the wrong person has been shot by these offenders."
Chilling CCTV footage later emerged on social media showing the moment MacDonald was shot. The video depicted a gunman leaning out of a rear window of a passing stolen grey Audi sedan and firing. The individuals responsible remain at large.
This incident follows another fatal shooting in Glen Alpine early Tuesday morning. Marco Tapia, 23, was killed in his bedroom after three masked individuals allegedly broke into his home. Tapia, who had no criminal record beyond a traffic offense, was reportedly not known to police.
Detectives are exploring the possibility of mistaken identity in Tapia's death as well. Online posts attributed to an alleged member of the Coconut Cartel, Iziah Utai, suggested a potential error in that shooting, stating, "Popped the wrong person. Didn't even get the right house." Utai later posted "RIP Marco. #innocentvictim."
Recent months have seen an alleged feud between the Alameddine network, a known crime syndicate, and the Coconut Cartel, a reported crime-for-hire group, leading to shootings across Sydney. Police are still searching for the perpetrators in both the Merrylands West and Glen Alpine incidents.