Family make narrow escape in night of multiple Western Sydney shootings

Faras Al Khamisy was sitting out in the backyard of his property in South Granville when he heard what he thought was the sound of gunshots some distance away. It was actually his home.

Auburn jeweller Faras Alkhamisy had a shot fired into his South Granville home last night while he and his wife and kids were inside. Picture: Toby Zerna

The father of a young family whose home was shot at in Sydney’s west overnight says he does not believe the attack was targeted at them.

Faras Al Khamisy was sitting out in the backyard of his home on Mackay Street in South Granville about 8pm when he heard what he thought was the sound of gunshots some distance away, followed by glass breaking.

Mr Al Khamisy, who was at home with his wife Hayfa and their children Eva, 14, and Sari, nine, said considering the distance of the shots he did not give it much thought and kept on drinking tea with his wife.

But about 40 minutes later his son came downstairs from his bedroom and noticed shattered glass on the floor near the front entry to the home.

Mr Al Khamisy said he then noticed the bullet-shaped hole in the front door and quickly linked it to the earlier shots he had heard, which police believe may have been fired more than 400 metres away from a reserve directly across the road.

A shot was fired into this South Granville home last night. Picture: Toby Zerna

“We heard some shooting but it was far away, not very close to our home and we heard something like shattering of the glass but we didn’t believe that this happened inside our house,”

“But after 30-40 minutes my son and daughter were studying upstairs, he needed something and he came downstairs and he saw the damage.

“I saw straight away the glass and straight away (linked it to) the shooting. Police said it (the shot) was about 400 metres away.”

The owner of a jewellery store in Auburn, Mr Al Khamisy said he initially worried the incident may have been linked to his business.

Auburn jeweller Faras Alkhamisy outside his South Granville home. Picture: Toby Zerna

But he said police do not believe it was a deliberate attack and are investigating the likelihood of misadventure, potentially by young people who have been left bored by lockdown.

“I’m a jeweller. The first thing we think is like, this (is targeted), but you know too many things tell us this is not true,” Mr Al Khamisy said.

“It came from far on the other side (of the reserve). The police came this morning they said they are not targeting you.

“They (the police) are thinking they were playing, a teenager maybe, with a gun they took from parents. They said this has happened more than one time in this area.”

Police report that residents in the nearby Auburn area also heard gunshots fired between 7pm and 7.30pm, before the Al Hamisys house was hit by a bullet.

It is believed the shot was fired from across the reserve opposite the house. Picture: Toby Zerna

Officers from the Cumberland Police Area Command conducted a search nearby Chisholm Road in Auburn where they located damage to a metal fence consistent with a shot being fired.

A crime scene was established and was forensically examined by specialist police.

Investigations are ongoing and police are urging anyone who noticed or heard anything suspicious in the vicinity of Webbs Ave playing fields to come forward.