In short:
Residents impacted by gang violence and mistaken identity shootings say they are "scared" and "unnerved".
asserted
they → impact → violence
A Merrylands beauty therapist says she has considered moving like some of her clients.
asserted
she → say → clients
A Glen Alpine business owner says some friends are "really quite angry" about the mistaken shooting death of a local.
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friends → say → local
Residents caught in the crossfire of Western Sydney's gang violence say they are fearful and angry after a series of mistaken identity shootings linked to organised crime.
asserted
they → catch → crime
Eight innocent people have reportedly died in cases of mistaken identity since 2021, with two in as many days last month.
uncertain
people → die → days
Young people are increasingly being hired by offshore criminals to commit what NSW Police has called "disorganised" crime, in an evolution of the city's underworld activity.
asserted
Police → hire → activity
Two 16-year-old boys and a 14-year-old boy have been charged with the alleged mistaken-identity murder of innocent university student Marco Tapia at a Glen Alpine home last month.
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boys → charge → home
Following charges laid on Wednesday, Mr Tapia's mother, Claudia Tapia, released a statement which said the committed Christian and volunteer "lived a life of faith, service, generosity and purpose".
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Christian → follow → faith
Within 48 hours of the Glen Alpine incident, innocent tradie Joshua Macdonald was shot dead in a doorway of a Merrylands West property near a school about 3:15pm.
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Macdonald → shoot → school
The ABC has spoken to people concerned about the prevalence of gun and organised crime in Western Sydney, who requested their names be changed, fearing the consequences for their safety and businesses for speaking publicly.
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names → speak → safety
Beauty therapist Jessica has lived in the Merrylands area her whole life.
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Jessica → live → area
Recently, she had considered leaving because of criminal activity.
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she → consider → activity
"People that are dear to me, their houses have gotten shot at,"Jane said.
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houses → shoot → me
"It has put a lot of fear into us and it's not just about being involved in crime anymore.
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it → put → crime
It's even happening in daylight now."
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It → happen → daylight
Jessica said hearing about her clients' brushes with recent gun-related incidents and underworld shootings had "really hit home".
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hearing → say → home
She said an 11-year-old boy who died after being shot in the face at Norwest last month, in a home with men linked to organised crime present, went to a client's daughter's school.
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who → say → school
Circumstances of the shooting remain under investigation.
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Circumstances → remain → investigation
She said she had clients who live near where Mr Macdonald was killed in Merrylands West.
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Macdonald → say → West
"Their roads were closed off.
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roads → close → ?
Clients couldn't get through to pick up their kids," she said.
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she → get → kids
Jessica said clients had moved for "the safety of their kids".
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clients → say → kids
"I was having this conversation with my dad.
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I → have → dad
I'm like, 'We need to all just pick up and go', but where are we going to go?" she said.
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she → need → ?
"You can't afford anywhere else.
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You → afford → ?
Cumberland City Council Mayor Ola Hamed said it was "terrifying" that the shootings were encroaching on public spaces.
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shootings → say → spaces
She said council was working with police and stakeholders to minimise gang violence.
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council → say → violence
"It is unacceptable that innocent people have been caught up in the crossfire,"Cr Hamed said.
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Hamed → catch → crossfire,"Cr
"We are concerned that gang-related crime is on the increase, but I can't imagine people are taking drastic measures because they are just so concerned."
'Really quite angry'
Glen Alpine business owner Jon lives near where Mr Tapia died.
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Tapia → relate → measures
Detective Superintendent Joe Doueihi said a group of three males charged yesterday with the alleged murder intended to target someone who lived on the same street as Mr Tapia.
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who → say → Tapia
"We will allege they were contracted as hired guns by an organised crime group to attend New South Wales [from Victoria] and commit these violent acts, including the murder of Mr Tapia," Superintendent Doueihi said.
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Doueihi → allege → Tapia
Jon said the incident was "unnerving".
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incident → say → ?
"Mistaken identity, it just leaves you wondering if there's a drug dealer or someone with the same name as me, that they [criminals] are going to kick my front door down," he said.
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he → mistake → door
"[It's] so sad that someone just not even remotely connected with any sort of that business loses his life over just a complete and utter blunder.
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someone → lose → blunder
"They [friends] are really quite angry that someone comes into their neighbourhood and does that to some poor, innocent young man."
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someone → come → man
When asked if he had thought about home security measures, Jon said he was not sure what would work.
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what → ask → measures
"They broke in the dead of night and took that poor lad's life," he said.
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he → break → life
"If they're intent on taking a life, they just are driven to do it."
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they → take → it
He said the solution probably lay with families, but acknowledged there may be "generations of completely lost people" who were victims themselves.
uncertain
who → say → people
'Don't know who's who anymore'
Jessica said crime rates had become worrying, but in the last month or so, it had left her on edge and led her to change her behaviour.
"Growing up, it wasn't like that.
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it → know → that
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
