BLOODSHED IN THE ‘BURBS: Former UFC Fighter Gunned Down in Sydney’s Riverstone, Two Cars Torched in Fierce Retaliation
- Ex-UFC fighter Suman Mokhtarian, 33, shot dead in targeted attack on quiet suburban street
- Two cars – a red Audi and a white van – set alight in a frenzy of violence, with police probing gangland links
- Locals left shaken, with one witness describing the terrifying moment she saw the shooting and a burning car speed past her house
A manhunt is underway after a former UFC fighter was shot dead in a targeted attack in Sydney’s Riverstone, with two cars set alight in a brazen display of violence. Police are investigating whether the shooting was gangland related, following a string of recent violent incidents in the area.
Suman Mokhtarian, 33, a mixed martial arts trainer and fighter, was found with gunshot wounds on Annaluke Street in Riverstone about 6pm on Wednesday. Despite the best efforts of NSW Ambulance paramedics, he died at the scene.
A short time later, firefighters were called to Riverstone Road and found a red Audi set alight. Police then located a white van ablaze on nearby Matthias Street. Both vehicles were destroyed in the fires, and three crime scenes were established.
Superintendent Jason Joyce told ABC Radio Sydney that the vehicles were involved in the shooting, and police were exploring “a number of lines of inquiry”. “What I can say is that it was a targeted attack … there were some people who witnessed the incident,” he said.
In a heartbreaking development, Superintendent Joyce said his heart went out to not only the family of the victim but also the people who had to witness the terrifying incident. “It’s a tragedy, and we’ll do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice,” he vowed.
Residents living nearby were left shaken by the shooting, with one witness, Natalie, describing the moment she saw the shooting and a burning car speed past her house. “I was out the front with my little kids, and we heard the gunshots and then the person drove past our house,” she said.
“I called the police straight away, [ran] over and checked to see if he was alive, he clearly wasn’t. I was terrified, my little girl was right out near the end of my driveway when it happened, so yeah it was pretty scary.”
Another witness, Milton, said he heard the bullets being fired. “Bang, bang, bang … people were worried … burning cars, everything,” he said.
As police continue to investigate the shooting, residents are left to pick up the pieces and wonder how such violence could erupt in their quiet suburban community. “It’s just terrifying, you never think it’s going to happen in your own backyard,” Natalie said.