An ex-UFC fighter who co-founded the n Top Team was the target of a failed assassination attempt by a shooter who was disguised as a food delivery driver.
Suman Mokhtarian, 31, was outside the team’s western Sydney gym about 7.45am on February 20 when the gunman ran up and fired four shots at him, reports The Daily Telegraph.
All four shots missed him, as well as the 30 other people training inside the gym, and the balaclava-wearing man then fled the scene on a scooter.
While the gunman remains unknown, police last week arrested Usman Chami, 19, who they allege helped to purchase that scooter. He appeared in court on March 8.
According to documents submitted to Bankstown Local Court, police allege he helped buy the black-coloured scooter off Facebook marketplace.
He then allegedly bought white paint from Bunnings in an attempt to change the colour to throw off authorities.
Suman Mokhtarian was the target of a failed assassination attempt, according to NSW Police (he is pictured at a UFC Fight Night weigh-in event at Hilton Adelaide on November 30, 2018)
Mokhtarian co-founded the n Top Team gym with his brother in western Sydney, where the alleged attempted hit took place
In 2018, Mokhtarian appeared in season 27 of the US sports reality television program The Ultimate Fighter – where he lived in Las Vegas with other fighters competing for a long-term UFC contract.
He co-founded n Top Team with his older brother Ashkan, who is behind bars on drug charges, and they have both had bouts in the American UFC competition.
Police allege the rider was wearing a helmet and food delivery backpack and drove by the gym shortly before the failed hit in order to scope out the scene.
‘The unknown male rider with his face covered by the helmet then approached the front of the gym, before retrieving a pistol from the waistband of his pants and pointing it at [Suman] Mokhtarian at close range and firing one shot,’ the documents state.
‘Mokhtarian ran into the gym as the rest of the males fled in other directions, with the accused running along a driveway next to the gym.
‘The unknown male gunman followed Mokhtarian into the gym. The gunman fired a further three shots as Mokhtarian ran through the gym. There were approximately 30 people within the gym.’
CCTV shows the alleged shooter disguised as a food delivery driver riding a scooter (pictured)
The gunman then drove to a nearby street, set the scooter alight and hopped into a waiting silver Mazda 3 that he drove to a Bass Hill carpark.
Chami has been charged with shoot at with intent to murder and discharge firearm intending grievous bodily harm.
Police, however, do not believe he was the shooter but was acting as a ‘spotter’ to assist the shooter.
Chami was denied bail and will reappear in court at a later date.