A SENSELESS home invasion murder, a suspicious death and a drive-by shooting.
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Three gun-related crimes in three days and, so far, police are dealing with three mysteries.
The weekend started with the home-invasion homicide of Robbie Parry, who was gunned down after opening the front door of his Dickson Street, Wickham, home about 3am on Saturday.
Mr Parry was shot once in the stomach after as many as two men stormed his home demanding cash and drugs. His elderly father, Al, was at home at the time and may have witnessed his son's needless killing.
Police say an autopsy was expected to be conducted on Monday. They have a number of leads after combing the house for evidence but have renewed an appeal for witnesses to come forward.
On Sunday afternoon, a 71-year-old man died of a gunshot wound at his home in Kerr Street, Mayfield. The man was shot in the chest and died at the scene. Neighbours reported arguing coming from the home in the nights leading up to the man's death. Forensic officers have been unable to confirm if the man's death was self-inflicted, as first suspected, and police say they are treating it as "suspicious until they can determine otherwise" while they await the results of forensic testing.
"Because of the circumstances surrounding the death, we are unable to formally conclude it was a suicide," Newcastle City police duty officer Inspector Michael Gorman said. "There may be individuals who can help with our investigation."
Meanwhile, at Wallsend, a home in Youll Street was peppered with bullets during an early morning drive-by on Monday. Police say they do not believe the house was deliberately targeted but say the gun fire came from a car in Tyrrell Street about 1.15am.
One of the shots struck the house and another passed through the wall of a rear shed and lodged in the neighbouring property. The three occupants of the first house and the single occupant of the second house were uninjured.
"We have no reason to believe these houses were targeted at this stage," a police spokesman said.
Forensics officers collected evidence and detectives spoke with neighbours.
"I just heard four pops and then a car take off," one neighbour told the Herald. "It's not the sort of thing you want happening in your street."
Senior Newcastle police officer Superintendent John Gralton said the three events were unrelated. "While these incidents are totally unacceptable and not welcomed in society by any stretch, it is important to point out that crime is down across the city and crimes committed with firearms are down considerably," he said.
"It is an aberration in the statistics, an unusual weekend for Newcastle to experience three crimes of this nature in one weekend.
"But police are working feverishly to get to the bottom of these three incidents. These are not necessarily random attacks and there is no reason for a general fear in the community."
Superintendent Gralton said police were being assisted by the Homicide Squad in both the murder at Wickham and the suspicious shooting at Mayfield.
"All of these incidents were examined by crime scene officers today," he said. "It is early days in the investigation and we are asking for anyone who has any information about any of these incidents to come forward and speak to detectives or call Crime Stoppers [on 1800 333 000]."