Police say a fatal shooting in a quiet Heddon Greta suburban street late Tuesday was a targeted attack.
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Multiple people entered a house on Traders Way before 11pm on Tuesday and shot a man in the chest before fleeing the scene in a car.
Six adults and two children were in the house at the time of the shooting.
The 25-year-old victim, who lived at the house, died at the scene. He has been identified, but police have not released his name.
Superintendent Tracy Chapman, the Hunter Valley Police District commander, said she could not confirm if the victim was the father of the children in the house.
She said police had no information which suggested the shooting was bikie-related.
Superintendent Chapman called on anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage who was in the area at the time to contact police.
"We believe the offenders fled the scene in a motor vehicle," she said.
"There was not a lot of vehicular traffic at the time, so any footage at all will be useful for us."
Superintendent Chapman said police did not have the make or colour of the car.
She said the victim was known to police but only in a "very limited capacity".
"At this stage we don't believe this was a random attack," she said.
"It would appear it was targeted, and members of the community have no reason to be concerned.
"Other residents [of the house] are helping us with our inquiries."
Superintendent Chapman could not comment on whether the shooting was related to any earlier incidents or how many offenders were involved.
She was not aware of police being called to the house at any time before the shooting.
A female neighbour, who lives two doors down from the house where the shooting occurred, said she had gone to bed about 10.30pm and had not heard the attack.
"I didn't know anything about it until I took the dogs out to go to the toilet at 3am and saw the flashing blue lights," she said.
"It's normally a very quiet street."
The house where the shooting took place is about 100 metres from Main Road, the major thoroughfare leading from the Hunter Expressway to Maitland.
Homicide squad investigators from Sydney were on the scene on Wednesday.
Forensics officers were dusting multiple cars in the street for fingerprints and had placed at least 14 numbered evidence markers on the street and footpath outside the house leading east to Main Road.
Detectives have established Strike Force Roslyn to investigate the shooting.
Anyone with video or other information about the shooting is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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Michael Parris
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
Michael Parris reports on politics for the Newcastle Herald. He started at the Herald in 1994 after working in the ABC Newcastle newsroom. Michael spent much of his career as a sub-editor before moving into political reporting in 2017. He was a finalist in the Sports Australia national media awards for his stories about a male-only tennis club in Newcastle. He has covered NSW and federal elections, state and federal budgets and local politics. He has also written extensively about the COVID-19 pandemic with a special focus on data analysis and the effects of lockdowns on the Hunter community.
