‘Angel of Death’: Man killed in Sydney shooting
Written by admin on August 26, 2024
A man known in Sydney’s underworld as the “Angel of Death” was assassinated in an early morning shooting as police move to suppress potential retaliations.
Tarek Ayoub, 29, died after a hail of bullets was fired his way outside an apartment block on Harold St, Parramatta about 3.30am on Monday, after leaving a meeting with an associate.
Such was Ayoub’s reputation in the world of organised crime, his “execution-style” murder will leave homicide detectives with a huge task of narrowing down the people responsible.
At least one gunman is on the run and police have taken steps to “prevent and disrupt any further shootings”.
Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said on Monday that there were “too many suspects, too many motives” to given an early indication why Ayoub was shot.
“This was a targeted shooting,” he said. “It was a well-known criminal identity, (with a) long history of violence.
“To the fact that he was known in the underworld circles as the Angel of Death. That was a nickname provided to him on information we have.
“Mr Ayoub lived and died by the sword.”
About 15 minutes after the shooting, emergency services were called to a car fire in the nearby suburb of Granville.
Fire crews put out a blaze that had engulfed a suspected stolen Audi SQ on Abeckett St.
Witnesses have reported seeing multiple people running to a white SUV parked on the same street arund the time of the blaze.
Police are seeking that vehicle as part of the investigation.
Det Supt Doherty said the associate Ayoub was visiting could provide crucial information about who knew of Ayoub’s movements.
“That person is assisting with inquiries as we speak,” he said.
The head of the NSW Homicide Squad said Strike Force Juno had been established to investigate the shooting, in what was the first gangland murder in Sydney for six months.
“This was a message sent to Tarek and it was certainly received,” he said.
“And I think it is a point where it was very loud and clear that they meant to kill him and they left a large number of casings behind to show that they meant business.”
Det Supt Doherty said well organised shootings took multiple people to plan and execute – and officers would work to track down them all.
“There is the people that execute the plan and commit the murder but there is also people that obtain the vehicles, get rid of the vehicles, the ones that pull the strings and arrange the murder, that is what we are looking at,” he said.
Ayoub was previously charged as an accessory to the murder of teenage boy Brayden Dillan, who was shot dead as he slept in his bed at Glenfield in April 2017.
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He pleaded guilty to concealing details about the offence.
Police have set up crime scenes at Parramatta and Granville.
Police are calling on anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage to contact police or CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.
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