The family of a young tradie is ‘absolutely heartbroken’ after he was killed in an ‘extremely brutal, execution-style’ shooting in Sydney’s south-west.
Emergency services were called to a Dalton Avenue home in Condell Park at about 10.30pm on Monday night following reports a man had been shot.
John Versace, 23, was found at the front doorstep of his family home with a gunshot wound and died despite paramedics’ desperate efforts to revive him.
Police are investigating whether the deadly shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
Mr Versace’s sister, Deanna Versace, said on social media on Tuesday the family was ‘absolutely heartbroken to announce the passing of my beautiful baby brother’.
‘John, no words can describe the pain we are all feeling and will continue to feel for the rest of our lives,’ she wrote.
‘You were the world’s greatest brother, son, grandson, cousin and friend. We are so lucky and blessed to have had the time we had with you but your life was cut too short.
‘You did not deserve this. You’re at peace and with Jesus now. We love you so much John. Our angel forever. This world wasn’t good enough for you. Life will never be the same.’
John Versace’s family paid tribute to him on social media after the brutal killing
John Versace, 23, was found at the scene with a gunshot wound and died despite paramedics’ desperate efforts to revive him
Emergency services were called Dalton Street in Condell Park at about 10.30pm on Monday night following reports a man had been shot (pictured)
Police said on Tuesday that they had viewed ‘good quality CCTV’ from cameras attached to the house, which showed Mr Versace returning home shortly before the shooting.
‘He had reversed his vehicle, which was a ute, up the driveway, and parked his car very close to the garage door. As he was exiting that vehicle, a small silver hatchback, which we believe to be a Toyota Corolla, arrived at the address and parked across the driveway,’ Superintendent Rodney Hart told reporters.
‘A male exited the rear driver’s side of that car and made his way up the driveway towards the victim.
‘And the victim saw the male, he backed back towards the home, and unfortunately, was up against the garage door, and an existing wall.
‘At this time, the male who was dressed in all black wearing a hood and believed to have his face covered, raised his right hand, and at this time, was armed with a small hand gun, which we believe to be a Glock style hand gun.’
Mr Hart said Mr Versace was not known to police and did not have a criminal record.
‘I want to assure the community that at this stage we believe that this is, although an extremely brutal and violent execution style murder, is a targeted attack.
‘Now, although this victim at this stage, we believe, may not have links to organised crime or something in the way of drugs, we believe that this has the hallmarks of a targeted execution, very brutal, very distressing.
Mr Versace lived with his parents and adult sisters and the shooting happened on his ‘front doorstep,’ with police investigating the possibility the killers had ‘laid in wait’ for him
‘So I want to reassure the community that we are treating this not as a random attack.
‘His family members do not have criminal records, and he at this stage, I believe, has one traffic offence.
‘We need to look at who he is involved with, who he knows, what he did leading up to this brutal attack on him – to get an idea of exactly what has happened and resulted in this brutal murder.’
He was believed to be a plumber working for his father’s business.
He lived with his parents and adult sisters and the shooting happened on his ‘front doorstep,’ with police investigating the possibility the killers had ‘laid in wait’ for him.
Mr Versace’s family were ‘extremely distraught’.
Unconfirmed reports from witnesses claim they heard up to six gunshots, along with tires screeching and people screaming.
Officers are investigating whether the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.
Specialist forensic investigators spent the night examining the scene as part of a probe into the circumstances of the shooting
Footage showed multiple emergency vehicles arriving at the scene with lights and sirens blaring.
A crime scene has been set up by Bankstown Police.
Specialist forensic investigators spent the night examining the scene as part of a probe into the circumstances of the shooting.
Emergency services received reports of a car on fire at nearby Fairfield Heights a short time later.
‘Upon that vehicle being extinguished of the flames and a cursory search, a handgun similar to that of a Glock-style pistol was located in that vehicle.’
Mr Hart said police believe the car was stolen in December.
‘We believe it was driven there, it was torched, and those offenders were there, then got into another car and left the scene. But at this stage, I don’t have the details of that second car.’
Police urge anyone with any information, dashcam or CCTV footage from the surrounding areas to contact Crime Stoppers.
