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Police investigate fatal shooting at shopping centre in south-west Sydney Police investigate fatal shooting of man believed to be underworld figure
(about 4 hours later)
Police are investigating whether a fatal shooting at a western Sydney shopping centre and a recent gunfight at a nearby industrial estate are linked. A man is dead, two people have been injured and at least one gunman is on the loose after a targeted daylight attack at a western Sydney shopping centre.
A 40-year-old man has died after being critically injured in the shooting outside Bankstown Central shopping centre where two other people were shot in the legs, at about 11.45am on Friday. A 40-year-old man, believed to be Sydney underworld figure and convicted killer Walid Ahmad, was killed in a spray of bullets on the rooftop car park of Bankstown Central shopping centre on Friday.
“We’re certainly not ruling out any links – we’re looking at all opportunists and all avenues of investigation,” Superintendent Dave Eardley said, when asked if the incident was linked to a recent shooting at Condell Park. A 60-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman suffered gunshot wounds to their legs during the brazen attack.
Reports if one dead and two injured in Bankstown shooting ... Centro Shopping centre in lockdown pic.twitter.com/JYivbJqs5s Police won’t say whether the three were known to each other but insist the dead man was clearly a target.
“Certainly there has been a recent shooting in this area, in the Condell Park area, that is subject to Strike Force Admiralty. “This isn’t a random shooting,” Superintendent Dave Eardley told reporters at the scene.
Heavily armed officers swarmed onto the scene and police helicopters hovered over the shopping centre, which went into virtual lockdown on Friday afternoon.
Ahmad was convicted in 2002 of manslaughter over the death of 39-year-old Mayez Dany following an earlier dispute.
Police are investigating links between Friday’s shooting and a fatal gunfight outside Ahmad’s smash repair business in nearby Condell Park earlier this month which killed Safwan Charbaji and seriously injured another man.
Two men, including Charbaji’s brother-in-law, have been charged with concealing a serious offence following the 9 April incident.
“We’re certainly not ruling out any links - we’re looking at all opportunities and avenues of investigation,” Supt Eardley said.
“Those detectives will be reviewing the incident today to see if they can identify any linkages.”“Those detectives will be reviewing the incident today to see if they can identify any linkages.”
Eardley said it appeared the shooter was not acting alone. Police suspect Friday’s shooter was not working alone.
“The indication is that this gunman did not act alone – we had information of a white Mercedes vehicle being used,” he said. “The indication is this gunman did not act alone - we have information of a white Mercedes being used,” Supt Eardley said.
“I can confirm that vehicle has been located burnt out in the Greenacre area.” The Mercedes was found burnt out in nearby Greenacre.
Eardley could not confirm reports a man was seen handcuffed near the vehicle earlier on Friday afternoon. Fatema Islam had just parked her car when the fatal gunshots rang out.
The dead man has not yet been formally identified, and police do not know whether the other two people shot were known to him or innocent bystanders. “I thought something fell from the fitness (centre) and I tried not to pay attention,” Islam said.
No arrests have been made in relation to the shooting. “A lady came out from over there, screaming and crying, saying ‘gunshots, gunshots’.”
Islam ran inside, watching on as police squad cars arrived.
“It’s pretty scary, especially for local people like us, it’s not a very fun place to be,” she said.
Despite the shooting taking place in broad daylight outside a packed shopping centre, Eardley insisted the public shouldn’t be afraid.
He said police would throw extra resources at trying to prevent any revenge attacks, urging associates of the dead man and wounded pair not to take any drastic action.
“What I will say is this: don’t take any actions into your own hands. Leave it to us to investigate. Leave it to us to identify the people involved,” he said.
“We will put them before the courts, they will be dealt with under our law.”
No arrests have yet been made.