Mixed martial artists are paying tribute to a former UFC fighter shot dead in what police are treating a targeted attack.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
As emergency services responded to the incident, they were called to a car fire around the block at 6.15pm, with that vehicle destroyed.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Mokhtarian fought twice in the world’s top MMA organisation \u2013 the Ultimate Fighting Championship \u2013 most recently in 2019 when he lost a unanimous decision to Korean featherweight Seung Woo Choi.<\/p>\n
His X account listed himself as the owner and head coach of Australian Top Team, a gym based in Wentworthville in Sydney’s west.<\/p>\n
Fighter Jesse Swain, who trained under Mokhtarian, said he couldn’t sleep after hearing the news of his coach’s death.<\/p>\n
“Suman believed in me more than I believed in myself, I owe all I’ve done in MMA to him,” he wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
Perth coach Romel Luistro, who has recent UFC debutants Quillan Salkilld and Cody Haddon under his wing, said he was “heartbroken”.<\/p>\n
“RIP brother,” he posted.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Wednesday night, Joyce said a witness spotted one person in a vehicle speeding away from the crime scene.<\/p>\n
Police have not made any arrests.<\/p>\n