A boy who was allegedly shot at a home in Sydney’s north-west earlier this week has died.
Police said that the boy, who had been in a critical condition since being found with a gunshot wound at a unit in Norwest on Monday, died in hospital at about 8pm on Thursday.
Friends and family paid tribute to the boy, who was a member of Sydney’s Maronite community. “Rip my baby,” his father wrote on social media. “Rest in peace little cuz … Heart broken,” another family member posted.
Police had been called to the unit in Fairway Drive at about 5pm on Monday after reports of a shooting.
Officers found the 11-year-old boy had sustained a gunshot wound to his face and neck.
He was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to at Westmead Children’s hospital in a critical condition.
Five other people who were in the home at the time of the incident were not injured.
Sign up for the Breaking News Australia emailThree men, all aged 18, were arrested. Two were taken to the Hills police station and later released pending further inquiries.
One of the men, Isaac Bechara, was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence, while two of the other men were arrested and released pending further inquiries.
He appeared at Blacktown local court on Tuesday morning, where he made no application for bail, which was refused.
Det Supt Naomi Moore told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that police were “aware” of the unit where the shooting had occurred and had “engaged with the occupants previously”.
“This shooting at this stage does not appear to be linked directly to current conflicts however a number of individuals who were inside the unit at the time are well known to NSW police,” she said. “Their association with organised crime is being considered by investigators.”
Police said the investigation was continuing.
