Comanchero bikie Tarek Zahed shot, brother Omar dead after Body Fit Gym shooting

A man has told of the terrifying moments when a volley of shots was fired at a Sydney gym, where Melbourne-based Comanchero Tarek Zahed was hit 10 times and his brother was killed.

Comanchero bikie heavyweight Tarek Zahed is fighting for life and his brother Omar is dead after an ambush in Sydney.

The brothers were peppered with bullets as they stood in the foyer of the Body Fit Gym on Parramatta Rd at Auburn just after 8pm on Tuesday.

Tarek, 42, is understood to have been shot in the head, stomach, legs and arms, and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.

Incredible footage shows paramedics working on the pair as they lay bloodied in the gym foyer.

One gym-goer, Azis Alruken, told how he cowered behind a treadmill when he heard blasts of more than 20 bullets.

“I heard about 20 bullets it happened quickly in 20 seconds. I was in the gym when the guns were fired, everyone was screaming trying to run out of gym, there were around 30 of us,” he said.

“We were scared. I just tried to hide myself behind the treadmill, I was full of fear.”

Tarek Zahed, a high-ranking member of the Comanchero bikie gang, has been shot. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

Tarek Zahed and brother Omar have been shot in a hail of bullets.

More than 10 rounds were fired, with some hitting the men and others hitting the building. Picture: TNV

Tarek had moved to Melbourne in January after facing increasing pressure from NSW Police.

He has long been the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Comanchero in Australia, but had become the hot tip to be the next man elevated to the role of national president after the arrest of Mick Murray in Melbourne.

The shooting comes only a week after The Daily Telegraph reported that a bounty had been placed on Tarek’s head.

Underworld sources said Tarek had been urged by those close to him to play it safe, but he failed to listen.

“They warned him the other week: ‘Stop going to the gym, change your routine’, but he didn’t listen. They are fuming,” a bikie source said.

The body of Omar Zahed lying near the entrance to the gym, covered by a white sheet. Picture: Toby Zerna

Zahed, known for his bling-loving ways, found himself on international television upon his arrival in Melbourne as Rafael Nadal and Daniil Medvedev played at this year’s Australian Open men’s final.

During the third set, Zahed returned to his seat from a toilet break, with Nadal forced to delay serving until the bikie and other fans sat down.

The 41-year-old was currently under investigation by Victoria Police after a violent altercation with security outside a Kensington boxing event in April.

In January he was also filmed with Comanchero gang members who converged outside maximum security Port Phillip Prison, riding to send a message over the wall to their comrades remanded over the ANOM sting, a joint police operation which led to 340 alleged organised criminals being charged with more than 1000 offences.

Paramedics work on the two men at the scene. Picture: TNV

Zahed had recently returned to Sydney to attend the funeral of Lone Wolf boss Erkan “Eric the Wolf” Keskin.

It is understood Victoria Police were aware he had travelled to Sydney but believed he would be returning home soon after the funeral.

The Zahed brothers were known to be incredibly close, with photos only recently shared to TikTok showing them regularly posing together at the gym and on holiday.

NSW Ambulance Inspector Kevin McSweeney said paramedics had found both men riddled with bullets “all over their bodies”.

“On our arrival we found two male patients … with multiple gunshot wounds to multiple regions of their bodies,” Inspector McSweeney said.

“They were both found to be in extremely critical condition(s).

“At the scene we stabilised the patients as best we could.”

No other people were injured in the incident, Inspector McSweeney said.

Inspector McSweeney said one of the men died at the scene but the other was “incredibly” still conscious after being shot 10 times when paramedics rushed him to hospital.

“When we arrived on scene both patients had suffered significant blood loss and one of them had gone into traumatic cardiac arrest,” he said.

A vehicle believed to be linked to the shooting was found torched. Picture: TNV

“Paramedics did everything they could but despite best efforts, he died at the scene.

“The second patient had been hit with up to 10 bullets and incredibly, was still conscious and breathing when we transported him to hospital.”

“This was a horrific and confronting scene that unfolded in front of several witnesses, it is very fortunate no other members of the public were injured.”

Tarek Zahed is known as a gym junkie, who refuses to listen to his mates’ advice.

He reappeared in the headlines when he turned up at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Tarek had been aware of threats against his life for close to a year and last September used that danger as a reason to escape NSW’s lockdown and fly to Turkey.

Despite the efforts of police to make him aware of the dangers he faced, when he returned to Australia he continued to live a lavish lifestyle.

While police intelligence and underworld rumour suggested there was a target on his back, it was not clear which of his enemies had planned to target him.

“Everyone’s talking about the whispers around Tarek, but no one knows who is behind it,” an underworld source recently said.

“Whoever is targeting him is pretty brave, because everyone knows how close he is to (Mark) Buddle.”

In a statement following the shooting NSW Labor police spokesman Walt Secord said he was worried about a member of the public being hurt.

“Crime gangs are carrying out attacks with impunity and with no regard for the safety of others,” he said.

“Frankly, I’m less concerned about feuding gangsters killing each other and far more concerned about innocent bystanders getting killed in the crossfire.

“The community has been patient. The wave of shootings has gone on too long. This is about community safety.”

The fatal shooting comes less than a fortnight after fellow underworld figure Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad was gunned down outside the Greenacre home of an associate on April 27.

Ahmad too had been warned by police about the dangers to his life, but he refused to listen.