Doonside shooting: Heavy police presence as man is shot dead

Police have charged five men, including a member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, as part of investigations into a fatal shooting of Craig Anderson, 51, who was shot four times outside his Doonside home and died at the scene.

Nick Hansen

2 min read

May 28, 2019 - 8:20PM

Detectives have charged five men, including a member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang, as part of investigations into a fatal shooting in Sydney’s west last night.

Craig Anderson, 51, was shot four times outside his Doonside home about 7.30pm and died at the scene.

Within an hour, a huge police deployment — including Strike Force Raptor, Organised Crime and Criminal Groups squads — stopped four cars travelling in convoy at nearby Kemps Creek.

Craig Anderson, who was an alleged ice dealer, died during the shooting. Picture: Adam Yip

Following inquiries, five men — aged 22, 28, 44, and two aged 27 — were arrested in four vehicles at various locations including Erskine Park and taken to local police stations.

During a search of one of the vehicles, a Toyota Hilux, a Glock pistol was seized.

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The Daily Telegraph understands police are investigating the theory Mr Anderson, who is well known to police, had become embroiled in a personal dispute with a man who recruited his older brother, who was a Comanchero bikie, to settle the disagreement.

The gun found in the car will undergo immediate ballistic testing to determine whether it was used to execute Mr Anderson.

However Homicide Squad Commander Detective Superintendent Scott Cook had said earlier today that he did not believe the alleged murder was over “bikie business”.

Police at the scene in Doonside. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Craig Anderson was shot dead at Meridian Place, Doonside. Picture: Jeremy Piper

“We believe the homicide relates to an ongoing dispute between individuals, we do not believe it relates to bikie club business,” Det Supt Cook said.

He said the bikie-busting Strike Force Raptor was able to track the men down quickly because they were patrolling the area when the triple-zero call was placed by Mr Anderson’s neighbours.

“They were in the vicinity and conducting standard business as usual enforcement. Their location and their proactive approach paid off,” he said.

A crime scene has been established and no arrests have been made. Picture: Jeremy Piper

Det Supt Cook said claims two car loads of men arrived at Mr Anderson’s home in recent weeks and attacked him were also being investigated.

Neighbours said the man they knew and “Ando” was friendly but suspected of being a low-level dealer with frequent visitors to his house.

“I used to walk up to Ando and say hi, he was friendly enough,” one woman, who did not wish, to be named said.

“I knew something would happen. I had no worries with him but I didn’t go up to the house because I knew they were selling drugs. This bloody ice, it’s a killer.”

One neighbour claimed Mr Anderson recently spent time in custody, during which time his house in nearby Scintilla Grove at Doonside was burnt to the ground.