Feb 18 • 06:08 UTC 🇦🇺 Australia ABC News AU

Families targeted in 'ridiculously disgusting' escalation of gang violence

Recent gang violence in Western Sydney has escalated, with police linking multiple shootings and arson attacks to organized crime incidents involving innocent victims.

In a troubling escalation of gang violence in Western Sydney, police are investigating a series of shootings and arson attacks believed to be linked to organized crime. These incidents follow the targeted shooting of former NRL winger Matt Utai, who was shot several times outside a residence in Greenacre. Despite Utai being the intended target, law enforcement emphasizes that other victims in these related incidents were innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire.

Detectives from the special task force are working diligently to unravel the connections between these violent events, with early morning incidents in Wiley Park reported shortly after Utai's shooting. Witness accounts and physical evidence suggest that gang members may be retaliating against rivals by targeting their families, which has sparked significant concern among local communities and law enforcement about the potentially broader implications of such violence.

The ongoing violence has raised alarms in Sydney, as police publicly decry the actions of these gang members as 'ridiculously disgusting'. With Utai currently hospitalized and facing serious health challenges due to his gunshot wounds, authorities are determined to stem this surge in violence and protect innocent civilians who find themselves in the dangerous crosshairs of these rival gangs.

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