Teen Charged with Murder After 12‑Year‑Old Fatally Shot in Norwest Apartment

A 19‑year‑old has been formally charged with murder after a 12‑year‑old was killed by a gunshot to the face inside a Norwest flat on September 21. The accused, Isaac Bechara, was 18 when the incident occurred at the Moda apartment block in Sydney’s north‑west. Detectives say the bullet was likely fired unintentionally from an illegal firearm and struck the child’s face and neck. Police say about ten people were inside the unit at the time, including the child’s mother and a number of other 18‑year‑olds. Several of those men left the scene immediately after the shot. The weapon was taken from the apartment before emergency crews arrived and has not yet been recovered. Bechara had been held earlier on a charge of hiding a serious indictable offence linked to the shooting. Two other 18‑year‑olds were detained after the incident but were later released without charge. The boy, whose name is not released, was taken to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead and died three days later from his injuries. The child’s father, a man with a past cocaine conviction, posted a tribute online, describing the loss as “my baby”. Other relatives are known to police for ties to organised crime, though the family has cooperated with investigators. Police say the lack of cooperation from other occupants has hampered efforts to determine how the gun went off. Bechara is due in bail court on Wednesday, and authorities say more arrests remain possible as the probe continues. The murder charge follows the recent arrest of 18‑year‑old Reece Fakr, alleged key figure in the Coconut Cartel, who was detained at Sydney Airport after a phone left at the same Norwest flat linked him to a series of serious offences. Fakr is not related to the victim and remains in custody.

Context

Sydney’s north‑west suburbs have seen a rise in illegal gun use tied to organised crime groups, making investigations like this more challenging for police.