A man has been hit with a pistol and was knocked unconscious during a home invasion west of Sydney.
The brutal attack was inadvertently observed by hundreds of people as the victim was participating in a live TikTok at the time of the incident.
His games on the social media platform were interrupted by a knock on the door.
A man has been hit with a pistol and was knocked unconscious during a home invasion west of Sydney. (new)
Two masked men burst into Villawood’s grandmother’s apartment around 11:30 p.m., armed with a gun and looking for cash.
“Where’s the safe?” they can be heard demanding.
The victim, Wally Assaad, was knocked unconscious and his partner, Daniella, 37, was crying out for help.
“Right now I’ll take your life. I’m not afraid. Please, where’s the money, please,” one of the men could be heard saying.
“Right now I’ll take your life. I’m not afraid. Please, where’s the money, please,” one of the men could be heard saying. (new)
The live broadcast captured the duo carrying a pile of clothes from the house, before jumping into two getaway cars on Koonona Avenue.
At the time of the robbery, Assaad was broadcasting a TikTok battle with Nomad Moudi Tajjour’s old bike.
It is a platform that is now used by underworld figures to make money, given by viewers.
The 33-year-old victim is known to police. His story shows him posing with the head of the Comancheros, Tarek Zahed, recently shot.
The emergence of these online TikTok battles between underworld figures is a new frontier for the police.
One of the challenges, however, is to discern what is real and what is false.
NSW Police Acting Superintendent Glen Fitzgerald told people not to post information on social media that could make them a target.