A family residing in Sydney’s south-west is reeling from shock after their home was subjected to a drive-by shooting and firebombing. Authorities suspect that this alarming incident was a case of mistaken identity.
Emergency responders rushed to Sapphire Place in Eagle Vale around 4:30 a.m. today following reports from neighbors who heard gunshots.
Upon arrival, police discovered a black BMW sedan engulfed in flames parked outside the family’s residence.
Acting Commander Michael Moroney stated that while the house itself was targeted, the family living there was not the intended recipient of the attack.
“From what we currently understand, the residents had only recently moved to that location,” Moroney explained.
“Therefore, they were not the intended targets,” he added.
A husband, wife, and three children who were inside the home were left terrified, telling 9News the shooting and firebombing was a case of mistaken identity.
The home owner said her family was asleep when multiple shots rang out.
“We just moved here, haven’t been here long,” she told 9News.
“Obviously a case of mistaken identity, we are not bad people.
“There was a bullet hole that skimmed across [the kids’] heads and into the roof.”
Police believe the hit was planned well in advance, with the same group spotted on security cameras 30 minutes before the ambush, arriving to scope out the street.
While only three men were captured on CCTV before fleeing in a dark coloured ute, police say they are searching for a wider network.
“We are looking closely at who lived there previously as a main line of inquiry for this ongoing investigation,” Moroney said.
Authorities are appealing to anyone in the Eagle Vale area with dashcam or CCTV footage to come forward immediately.
Read Also: Manhunt Launched for Duo Linked to Notorious Australian Gang Leader’s Murder in Vietnam
