Former UFC mixed martial arts fighter, Suman Mokhtarian has been shot dead in what police described as a “targeted and brazen attack” in Sydney’s northwest.
According to New South Wales Police, the 33-year-old was gunned down on Wednesday evening while taking a walk in Riverstone, a quiet residential suburb.
Police said they were called to the scene shortly after the shooting, where Mokhtarian was found with gunshot wounds. He died before emergency services could arrive.
Not long after, two vehicles were discovered on fire at separate locations, a pattern investigators say is consistent with organized crime-style hits that have recently plagued the city.
“It’s very brazen, and it’s a shame this is happening in our community,” said Superintendent Jason Joyce of NSW Police.
“You’d expect that people could walk safely in their neighborhoods at that time of night, but we believe this was a targeted shooting.”
Local media reported that Mokhtarian had survived a previous attempt on his life in February, when a gunman opened fire on him outside a gym in western Sydney.
Mokhtarian, who competed in the UFC between 2018 and 2019, fought twice before transitioning to coaching. He was widely respected in the Australian mixed martial arts (MMA) community for mentoring young fighters and helping develop some of the country’s most promising talents, according to ESPN.
Residents described the shooting as terrifying and surreal.
A man identified only as Ben told The Sydney Morning Herald that he was walking with his wife when they heard the shots.
“We heard a loud bang, and then a lot of smoke went up, that must’ve been the car,” he said. “People were just stunned. You don’t expect something like this to happen with kids still playing around the park.”
Another resident, Natalie, said she was outside her home with her children when the gunfire erupted.
“I called the police straight away,” she told ABC News. “I ran to check if he was alive, but he clearly wasn’t. I could immediately tell there was nothing I could do.”
The killing occurred just a day after Sydney police intercepted an alleged “kill team” armed with firearms, balaclavas, body-worn cameras, and fuel cans near a daycare centre.
Authorities are investigating whether Mokhtarian’s death is connected to that foiled operation.
Police have launched a major investigation into the shooting and are appealing to the public for information.
