Man stabbed to death in Sydney's west; police hunting about a dozen people

Why it matters

Emergency services were called to Cleeve Close in Mount Druitt, western Sydney, about 9pm on Friday (October 9), where a man in his 30s was found with stab wounds to the torso and died at the scene. CCTV vision showed the victim being chased down a laneway and set upon by three men. 7NEWS identified him as Joshua Smith, a 33-year-old father; police said he was yet to be formally identified.

Blacktown commander Superintendent Brendan Gorman said detectives were seeking "about a dozen people in the area at the time" to assist the investigation, calling it "a horrendous incident". Officers seized a number of items at the scene; the attack was carried out with a bladed weapon, with the exact type awaiting post-mortem results. Two of the attackers were later spotted boarding a train at the railway station about 10.30pm.

Police have not determined whether the killing was random or targeted; the victim was believed to have "some history" with police, and possible gangland links are one line of inquiry. Witnesses told 7NEWS some of those involved may have been as young as 11 to 14. Anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Sources: Australian Associated Press (AAP), 7NEWS reporting, October 10, 2026.