Latest gun murders strike at the heart of safety in Sydney

THEY were killed just kilometres apart, becoming the latest victims of Sydney's gun violence. Full list of gun crimes on O'Farrell's watch

Police

THEY were killed just kilometres - and minutes - apart, becoming the latest victims of Sydney's out-of-control gun violence.

Vasko Boskovski and Bassil Hijazi died in a hail of bullets in Sydney's southwest on Monday night, the 20th and 21st person to be killed by assassins' bullets since Barry O'Farrell came to power in March 2011.

The slayings, apparently unconnected but in neighbouring suburbs, prompted the Premier to call an emergency meeting with Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione yesterday, during which he demanded answers about how NSW Police was tackling the deadly crimes.

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He also spoke by phone to the head of the NSW Crime Commission, Peter Hastings, to establish what more can be done, amid accusations police and the state government are powerless to stop the shootings.

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One source described the Premier's mood as "furious".

In the latest incidents, debt collector and businessman Boskovski, 35, a father of two, was gunned down outside his home in Earlwood about 9.30pm on Monday. It has since emerged he was a co-director in a company with convicted Punchbowl terrorist Khaled Sharrouf, who was jailed in 2005 for plotting to blow up the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor.

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 Neighbour Eva Radnai said she heard a "loud hammering" noise about four or five times.

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About 15 minutes later, Hijazi, 18, the cousin of Comanchero southern chapter president Mick Hijazi, was shot in the chest at least five times as he walked through a carpark in Bexley, just 3km away. His murder came just 12 days after he survived being shot in the neck.

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His mother Hannah sent a message to his killer last night.

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"If you were a man you would have confronted him like a man. And if you are still a man, please come and tell me why, why you shot my son. You have no right to take any life, that's my son's life you took," she said.

To police she said: "Get those guns off the street, you're not doing your job right. That's why my son's gone."

Dodging bullets in Sydney's war zone

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 Mr Scipione and Police Minister Mike Gallacher yesterday fronted the media, saying the shootings were "unacceptable" and an affront on the "safety of our suburbs" - but insisted the number of shootings was significantly lower than in recent years.

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Mr Scipione said Hijazi was facing a drug supply charge and had reported to police on Monday at 7pm, less than three hours before he was shot dead: "He was very well known to us. In 2011-2012 there were just over 100 handguns stolen. In 2012-2013 there were 40 handguns stolen. That shows us we've made a significant improvement in that regard."

Mr Gallacher said police were doing their best, but people with vital information who were not coming forward were letting everyone down.

 "The people who are out there, listening to broadcasts, discussion and community concern, would have access to information that quite simply could be invaluable," he said.

Mr O'Farrell confirmed he had sought "briefings" yesterday but added he had full confidence in his senior law enforcement officials.

"I do share the frustration of people in what's happening across Sydney," he said last night.

"I spoke to the Police Commissioner and Crime Commissioner. I respect the operational separation that should exist."

A spokesman for Mr Scipione said: "The Commissioner did meet with the Premier and they discussed a range of strategies currently being employed to deal with the problem."

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Former NSW assistant police commissioner Clive Small said serious questions had to be asked about police strategies: "The public have a right to ask what is going on. You have a major war between the Hells Angels and the Comanchero being fought on the streets of Sydney but then there are a series of 'mini-wars' with other gangs, both bikies, drug and criminals shooting each other.

"At the moment there doesn't appear to be a clear strategy. There is no use in announcing operations and taskforces that sound good if there is nothing behind them."

Yesterday four of the state's top police officers, including the Deputy Commissioner Cath Burn, the head of State Crime Command Mark Jenkins, Superintendents Mal Lanyon and Peter Cotter were in Brisbane attending a conference on organised crime, leaving homicide squad chief Michael Willing to hold a morning press conference about the latest shootings - from 30km away from the scene of the crimes - in Manly where he was attending a management course.

Police sources questioned why it was necessary to send the other four senior officers away at once.

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Former officer Tim Priest said it was inexcusable to have the state's four top cops away when you had a bikie war going on.

"Especially attending a lecture from a crime body - that is useless," Mr Priest said.

He said the gang and gun problem was a federal problem, not just NSW.

"Really, we need a national approach. National laws, national prisons, and an organisation like the FBI," he said.

Police

NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson criticised the O'Farrell government for not using laws to outlaw criminal bikie gangs.

"There have now been 14 shootings in Sydney in this month alone, resulting in the deaths of four people, with several others lucky to escape," Mr Robertson said.

"The O'Farrell government has clearly lost control of the gun violence on our streets. Our police do the best job with the resources but they do not have enough resources and are being denied requests for more.

"With so many bullets being fired on our streets I'm very concerned that we will see a stray bullet seriously hurt or kill a bystander unless the O'Farrell government takes some action against these criminal gangs."