A promising NRL player was pulled from a finals match just one day before kick-off after he and an alleged teenage drone operator were charged as part of the investigation into a fatal shooting in Sydney’s west.
Joshua MacDonald, a 40-year-old electrician, was on his way to a property on Bruce Street in Merrylands West at about 3.15pm on September 2 when he was gunned down.
NSW Police said an 18-year-old man was arrested in West Hoxton about 5.30am on Friday. He was later charged with murder and knowingly participating in a criminal group whose activities contributed to criminal offending.
According to police, detectives seized a drone and carried out forensic testing, allegedly finding material they say points to a role in the deadly attack.
Police released footage showing the man, named as Jimmy Schulz, being taken to Liverpool Police Station dressed in black tracksuit clothing and barefoot. He is expected to face a bail court on Saturday.
A second man, aged 19 and identified by The Daily Telegraph as Cronulla Sharks emerging NRL player Ratu Viliame Koroitamana, was charged with participating in a criminal group in a manner that contributed to criminal activity. He has not been accused of murder.
Koroitamana appeared before Liverpool Local Court on Friday, where he was released on bail.
The young footballer had been expected to line up for the Cronulla Sharks in Saturday’s NRL final against the Canterbury Bulldogs, but the club stood him down after being made aware of the charge.
Joshua MacDonald, 40, was walking to a Bruce Street home in Merrylands West about 3.15pm on September 2 when he was fatally shot
An 18-year-old alleged drone operator was arrested in West Hoxton at 5.30am on Friday and charged with murder and participating in a criminal group contributing to criminal activity
A 19-year-old identified by The Daily Telegraph as rising NRL player Ratu Viliame Koroitamana was charged with participating in a criminal group in a way that contributed to criminal activity. He has not been charged with murder
Mr MacDonald is not believed to have had any known association with organised crime. It is understood he had been visiting a home whose occupants are allegedly well known to police over organised crime-related activity.
His grieving aunt and uncle, Darlene and Trevor Norton, called the incident ‘cold-blooded murder’.
They told Seven News that their nephew died after leaping in front of his best friend Nick Brown and his two young daughters.
‘That’s Joshua all over. If he’d known those kids were in danger, (or if) anyone was in danger, he’d put himself in front (of them),’ Ms Norton said.
She shared a text message from Mr Brown praising his best friend and saying: ‘I am forever grateful for this beautiful soul. He is my children’s and my own guardian angel.’
The Nortons have questioned why authorities, including NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley, did not do more to prevent the tragedy, saying their nephew should still be alive.
‘Their car was sitting there for 90 minutes. If they (police) already knew that these people next door were being targeted, (then) they had a target on their shoulders,’ Ms Norton told 7News.
‘Why weren’t they patrolling those streets?’
Grieving aunt Darlene Norton said Mr MacDonald (both pictured) had celebrated his birthday a few days before his death
The Nortons have questioned why authorities, including NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley, did not do more to prevent the tragedy
When Ms Norton first heard the news of her nephew’s shooting, she said she refused to believe it was Mr MacDonald.
‘I thought it was another Joshua. And then I picked up my phone and just missed calls for the night,’ she said.
Ms Norton said her nephew was hardworking and kind-hearted, and recalled their final text exchange on his birthday – just days before the shooting.
‘Happy birthday, Josh. Hope you have a wonderful day. Love you. See you on the 13th of September. Kiss, kiss, kiss,’ she wrote.
His reply read: ‘Thank you. Can’t wait.’
A day before Mr MacDonald was killed, multiple offenders entered a two-storey home in Glen Alpine, near Campbelltown in south-west Sydney, about 3.40am.
They fatally shot Marco Tapia, 23, in his bedroom while his family were home. He was not known to police and only had a traffic offence on his record. No arrests have been made for the killing.
One line of inquiry for detectives is whether the suspected botched attacks were organised from overseas and carried out by young, local offenders.
One line of inquiry for detectives is whether the suspected botched attacks were organised from overseas and carried out by young, local offenders
A day before Mr MacDonald was killed, multiple offenders entered a two-storey home in Glen Alpine, near Campbelltown, about 3.40am and fatally shot Marco Tapia (pictured)
Asked whether NSW Police were doing enough, Ms Norton said: ‘No, they could be doing so much more. So much more.
‘If it had happened to one of her (Catley’s) family, if it’s happening to any of their family members, I’m sure they’d change their mind.
‘But of course, it’s not happening to any of theirs. It’s all us poor families.’
Despite the back-to-back killings, senior NSW Government ministers insisted the situation remains ‘under control’.
‘NSW Police are on top of this,’ Acting Premier Prue Car told reporters on Thursday.
Catley also insisted the police and NSW Government were managing the situation.
‘I do not accept this is out of control… we will not surrender our streets to organised crime gangs,’ she said this week, noting there is a new criminal model in Sydney.
‘Let’s be honest here… this is very challenging. Police are doing everything they can.’
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