Four men have been charged with the murder of a teenager in Western Sydney more than two years ago.
Omar Elomar, 18, was allegedly dragged out of his car and shot in the chest at close range on a quiet street in Miller, just after 11pm on Saturday, February 15, 2020.
Police believe the fatal shooting stemmed from a fight between two schoolboys at a shopping centre car park the day before.
Two groups — one including Mr Elomar — who were family members of the schoolboys then arranged to meet near Miller High School after trading messages on social media.
Mr Elomar died from his injuries at the scene on Cabramatta Avenue, despite efforts by paramedics to revive him.
Just before 6am on May 26, homicide detectives arrested four men, aged 20, 22, 23 and 25 at homes in Bonnyrigg, Macquarie Fields, Gregory Hills and Orange.
One of the men who has been charged with murder, Alonzo Faaoloii, 25, was sleeping next to his girlfriend at her Bonnyrigg home when he was arrested.
He is alleged to have pulled the trigger, with detectives confident of a "strong case".
He was refused bail to appear in Liverpool Local Court on Friday.
Jerome McNamara was also charged with murder after he was detained during an operation in Orange in the state’s central west.
He was refused bail and appeared in Orange Local Court on Thursday and will reappear in the same court on Friday.
Two other men from Macquarie Fields and Gregory Hills have also been charged with murder.
Both men were refused bail to appear in Campbelltown Local Court on Friday.
Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said the arrests were the result of a "painstaking" inquiry involving meticulous forensic work and witness reports.
"What started off as, basically, a schoolboy fight, manifested itself into a violent murderous act," he said.
The men were "caught unawares" when police knocked on their doors, more than two years since the incident.
"I think the gravity of the situation is sinking in as we speak," Detective Superintendent Doherty said.
"We’d always held out some hope that we’d have sufficient evidence to charge … we never gave up."
He said it had been a morning of "mixed emotions" for Mr Elomar's mother after she received a call from police earlier today.
"But [she is] pleased police had maintained the investigation into who was responsible for the alleged murder," Detective Superintendent Doherty said.
In a family statement, the Elomars said the loss of their son had an “awful” impact.
"We miss Omar every day. We hope justice will now prevail."
Noah Albert was last year acquitted of a role in the alleged murder after facing a Supreme Court trial.
The court heard Mr Albert was driven to the scene in Miller for the pre-arranged meeting between a group of associates and Mr Elomar's friends.
It was accepted some brought cricket bats, stumps and baseball bats to be used as weapons or for protection.
However, the court heard Mr Albert was unaware one of his crew had allegedly brought a shotgun, which was used to shoot the young man dead.
Editor's note May 27, 2022: An earlier version of this story included a photo incorrectly identifying a man as Jerome McNamara. It has been removed.
