Gang violence is not ‘out of control’ in Sydney, police minister says after two shootings in two days

Yasmin Catley says ‘we will not be surrendering our streets’ after as many as six suspected mistaken identity shootings since the start of last year

The New South Wales police minister denies that gang violence is out of control in the state, despite two people being shot dead in suspected cases of mistaken identity in as many days.

The police minister, Yasmin Catley, told a media conference on Thursday that while the recent deaths were unacceptable, the force had the resources they needed to tackle organised crime gangs.

There have been as many as six suspected mistaken-identity shootings in Sydney since the start of last year.

“Let me be very clear: we will not be surrendering our streets to organise criminals,” Catley said.

Mal Lanyon, the NSW police commissioner, confirmed that the shootings in Glen Alpine on Tuesday and in Merrylands on Wednesday both were being investigated as mistaken identity killings by organised crime groups.

The first victim was a 23-year-old university student shot in his bed, while the second was also not known to police, but reportedly was shot outside the home of a suspected underworld figure.

“We believe the large majority of these organised crime offences are being orchestrated from overseas, but we know that there are people onshore who are facilitating and putting together the groups that are doing it,” Lanyon said.

He said young people are increasingly being recruited to carry out deadly offences domestically, describing the trend as causing him “great concern”.

“What we’ve seen over the last few days are people who have very little experience, people who have taken a job for very little money, and people who are going to face very lengthy consequences in jail when we arrest them.

“We know that those organising it are recruiting young, inexperienced people and using encrypted communications. So, as an organisation, we are focusing on technology and making sure that we have every capability we need to target these people.”

There had been 800 arrests in the past year by the taskforce targeting gang violence, but there was no shortage of young people who were willing to be recruited, Catley said.

The acting premier, Prue Car, said that the government was considering whether enough was being done to divert young people away from organised crime groups.

“This is a complex set of circumstances, and it’s a terrible, tragic event when we have organised crime, use as a model, going to vulnerable young … kids, basically, for small amounts of money on the dark web to commit murderous crimes, and in some cases, hit the wrong person.