Shot dead for complaining about loud music

Sydney Morning Herald
November 26, 2007

Police are hunting for a man after a father of four was shot dead outside his home in Woonona, north of Wollongong, after complaining about loud music on Saturday night.

Stephen Holmes, 41, a miner, was killed after complaining about the music coming from a house in his street.

Mr Holmes died on a neighbour's front lawn after being shot in the chest ...

The incident started about 9pm when Mr Holmes became concerned about loud music coming from the home of a neighbour, who lived diagonally across the road in Lassiter Avenue.

"There was loud music and his two youngest children couldn't sleep,'' a friend of the family said.

"He went out and asked the neighbour to turn the music down and then returned to the house.

"But the bloke stood outside on his front lawn and kept yelling out, 'Come out here, you dog.'

"Angela went to the phone and called the police and it was while she was on the phone she heard a gunshot.".

Two of Mr Holmes's daughters, Samantha, 16, and Juanita, 5, were also on the lawn.

"Samantha ran to her father's side and lay down beside him," the friend said.

Neighbours cared for Mr Holmes until police and ambulance arrived, but he died shortly after ...

The neighbour did not know what had led to the shooting but he confirmed Mr Holmes and the alleged killer had been involved in a dispute about five to six months ago that led to a verbal confrontation ...