Mixed martial artists are paying tribute to a former UFC fighter shot dead in what police are treating a targeted attack.
Suman Mokhtarian, 33, was killed in Riverstone, in Sydney's northwest, at about 6pm on Wednesday (8pm Wednesday NZDT). Authorities believed he was out for a walk when he was gunned down.
As emergency services responded to the incident, they were called to a car fire around the block at 6.15pm, with that vehicle destroyed.
It was the latest in a spree of public, broad-daylight shootings and Superintendent Jason Joyce said police would not tolerate the unmitigated violence on Sydney's streets.
"It's a shame that this is happening in our community, you'd want to think that in a residential area like that, people could wander the streets at that time of night and be safe," he said.
"My heart goes out to the family of this victim and certainly any of the people that witnessed it, it would have been a horrific thing to witness."
Mokhtarian fought twice in the world's top MMA organisation – the Ultimate Fighting Championship – most recently in 2019 when he lost a unanimous decision to Korean featherweight Seung Woo Choi.
His X account listed himself as the owner and head coach of Australian Top Team, a gym based in Wentworthville in Sydney's west.
Fighter Jesse Swain, who trained under Mokhtarian, said he couldn't sleep after hearing the news of his coach's death.
"Suman believed in me more than I believed in myself, I owe all I've done in MMA to him," he wrote on Instagram.
"Anyone that knew him personally knows how passionate and invigorating he was and he expected nothing but the best from you ... he stopped me from quitting in late 2024 right before he got me the professional opportunities."
Perth coach Romel Luistro, who has recent UFC debutants Quillan Salkilld and Cody Haddon under his wing, said he was "heartbroken".
"RIP brother," he posted.
Speaking on Wednesday night, Joyce said a witness spotted one person in a vehicle speeding away from the crime scene.
Police have not made any arrests.
The shooting came a day after authorities pounced on three men allegedly driving to a gangland hit set to be carried out at a daycare centre.
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