Horrifying moment masked gunmen storm a kebab shop and open fire leaving an innocent woman in a coma - as cops reveal why underworld figure was likely targeted
An underworld figure shot in broad daylight inside a Sydney kebab shop had avoided four previous attempts on his life and had allegedly ripped off other a rival gang in a tobacco heist.
Two masked and hooded gunmen, dressed head to toe in black, sprinted into the Turkish diner in Auburn in Sydney 's west just after 1pm on Monday.
Samimjan Azari, 26, was hit in the arm and shoulder, an unidentified male was shot in the face and an innocent female shop employee suffered two gunshot wounds to the torso.
The would-be assassins unleashed a volley of eight handgun shots as their victims tried to flee out the back, while another man attempted to fend them off with a chair.
It was revealed on Tuesday evening that police are considering whether Azari was the target of the attack, Nine News has reported.
Azari has survived four attempt on his life and he was allegedly behind a heist at Condell Park in January.
He allegedly sent two men to steal illegal tobacco valued at roughly $4.5million but it became a violent kidnapping.
Three men were allegedly threatened with weapons, tied up, bashed and one of the men had his toe 'partially severed' in the attack which lasted up to half an hour. Officers are believed to have seized the cigarettes.
Police are now considering whether this incident is why Azari is wanted dead.
The dramatic moment a gangland hit squad burst into a kebab shop and opened fire was captured in disturbing new CCTV footage, as shop staff break their silence about the terrifying attack.
The CCTV video captured the moment the victims scrambled to hide as the gunmen stormed into the M Brothers kebab shop and bore down on them.
The video cut out when a ricochet bullet fragment took out the power supply to the cafe, before it was reconnected as emergency service workers tended to the victims.
Footage also showed the aftermath, with NSW Ambulance paramedics treating the injured at the scene. The victims remained in Westmead Hospital on Monday night.
Diner owner Mohammed Rahimi revealed on Tuesday how he fought to save the life of staff cook Gul Yildiz, 47, as she lay bleeding from her wounds.
'There was a lot of blood,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'I was basically putting pressure [on them].'
He said he did not recognise the men who were shot in the hit, saying he sees a lot of customers each day.
But he said the gunmen knew their targets and told staff to get on the ground.
'After second gunshot, the power cut off, so there shop was dark,' he added.
'One of the staff, as soon as she hear a gunshot, she fell down. She was there behind the counter with another staff, and basically [the gunman] told [us] to get down.
The innocent victim caught in the crossfire is known in the community as a 'very good lady', locals told Daily Mail Australia.
She is currently in a coma at Westmead Hospital with her daughter by her side.
The gunmen tried to enter an office at the back of the shop as they fled before escaping in a black BMW with cloned registration plates, Acting NSW Police Commissioner Peter Thurtell said.
'It is beyond comprehension that three people were shot in a crowded Sydney street in broad daylight, and the resources of the NSW police have already been deployed,' Commander Thurtell said.
Police recently warned that Azari was at the 'epicentre' of gangland tensions in the city.
Officers are investigating whether the two gunmen were hired on the Airtasker online platform, according to The Daily Telegraph.
This is the same method that was used in a separate attempted murder of a figure from the Alameddine criminal clan within the past month.
During a press conference on Monday, police minister Yasmin Catley said the gunmen will be held accountable as she shared her anger at an innocent woman getting caught up in the gangland shooting.
'All she did was go to work and she has been caught up in this shocking event,' she said.
'It's one thing for criminals to be shooting each other but when innocent people get caught up in this, it is absolutely abhorrent and we will not tolerate it.'
'It's completely unacceptable that this sort of behaviour should happen in Sydney.
'We will do everything we can to bring these gunmen to justice. It's as simple as that. We will make sure that we go and go until we bring these people to justice.'
Witnesses said two men with their faces covered entered the South Parade kebab shop and fired eight bullets.
At the time of the shooting, the area was bustling with people on their lunch break and heading to the nearby Auburn train station.
The shooting comes less than three weeks after Police Minister Catley announced the formation of Taskforce Falcon — a new strike force targeting a recent spate of underworld shootings.
Police sources are reported to have said a split between the Alameddines and the KVT gang members, who were once the former's enforcers, is the reason behind the latest run of violence in the city.
Last month, police warned a court there would be 'bloodshed on the sheets' if Azari was granted bail after he was charged with possessing an unauthorised gun allegedly found inside a ute.
He had been the target of a previous daylight shooting incident on May 25 at Granville, which killed Dawood Zakaria, when a gunman opened fire at their vehicle at a set of traffic lights.
Azari's first attempt on his life took place at Brighton-Le-Sands back in February, but he escaped without serious injury.
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