A quiet Illawarra street was plunged into chaos when a drunk and enraged man opened fire on his neighbour's home, an incident whose full details can now be revealed after the shooter pleaded guilty.
A Drunken Rage Escalates to Gunfire
On the evening of April 16, 2025, John Clayton Ward, 58, returned to his Corrimal home on The Avenue after several hours of drinking at the Charles Hotel in Fairy Meadow. Consumed by anger over an ongoing conflict with a neighbour, Ward demanded from his partner whether the man was home.
In a fury, he ripped a wardrobe door before retrieving a .45-70 rifle from his bedroom. When his partner pleaded with him not to be stupid, Ward grabbed her by the throat and threatened to shoot her, declaring he had "had enough" of the neighbour.
Residents Take Cover as Shots Ring Out
The neighbour, hearing his name screamed from below his balcony, stepped outside to see Ward yelling at him to "get down here". Fearing for his life, the man fled his unit as the sound of smashing windows echoed behind him.
Ward fired five shots into the victim's home, sending nearby residents scrambling for cover. One bullet pierced the bedroom window and embedded in the ceiling, another went through a balcony door into a bed's headboard, with further rounds striking the lounge room ceiling, an outdoor lounge, and the kitchen.
As Ward approached the building's entrance, the terrified victim climbed out a window, dropped to the ground, and ran across the road to a friend's house to raise the alarm.
Major Police Response and Firearms Cache Uncovered
The shooting triggered multiple triple-zero calls from residents who heard the gunshots. The first police officers to arrive donned ballistic vests before approaching the scene. They found the rifle on the ground near Ward's caravan, and he complied when ordered to get on the ground.
A subsequent search of Ward's home revealed a cache of illegal weapons. Police found ammunition scattered in the bedroom and, under his bed, an extendable baton and a case containing two shortened shotguns and a prohibited rifle. Ward had held a firearms licence since 2023, but the rifle used in the shooting belonged to a family member.
Guilty Pleas Entered in Wollongong Court
The incident forced the closure of The Avenue for an extended period while forensic investigations were conducted. Ward faced Wollongong Local Court where he pleaded guilty to a string of serious offences.
These charges include firing a firearm at a dwelling with reckless disregard for safety, intimidation, two counts of possessing a shortened firearm, and possessing an unregistered prohibited firearm. Related charges of recklessly damaging property and not keeping a firearm safely will also proceed to a higher court.
John Clayton Ward is now awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled to take place in the District Court in 2026.
