Man survives third shooting in 18 months in Western Sydney

A would-be assassin has clumsily set himself on fire while trying to burn a getaway car after a botched hit on an underworld figure in Sydney’s west.

A major manhunt is underway for a bungling gunman who set himself on fire while trying to torch a getaway car used in an attempted hit on a teenage underworld figure.

Dash cam footage has captured the incredible moment one of two men responsible for firing up to 10 bullets at Khoder Hamdan in Auburn about 3pm on Wednesday hopped in agony as fire ran up their leg, while burning their getaway car a suburb away in Carramar a short time later.

The attack on Hamdan is the third time he has survived being shot at in the past 18 months - after an attack at Auburn in May 2023 and Wetherill Park in September 2023.

Police say they are hopeful of tracking down the gunmen behind Sydney’s latest gangland incident, after their fiery mistake threw their initial getaway plans out the window and resulted in detectives recovering potentially crucial evidence from the two balaclava-clad men.

A bungling gunmen flees the scene after setting himself and his getaway car on fire.

As the first getaway car went up in flames, a local resident driving down the street stopped suddenly in shock at what was unfolding in front of her.

She then honked the horn of her vehicle at the gunmen, with Auburn Police Area Commander Rob Toynton saying the decision of the men to abandon a second getaway car and instead run through nearby Heiden Park resulted in them being unable to destroy key pieces of evidence — including burnt clothing — which were instead dumped in a creek.

“Footage shows one of the offenders from the shooting set the vehicle on fire, but during setting the vehicle on fire he’s actually caused himself a significant injury by setting himself on fire as well,” Superintendent Toynton said.

“That footage clearly shows the offender running away from the vehicle and he, we believe, would have sustained a significant burn. Shortly after that the two offenders have run through Heiden Park towards Prospect Creek.

“A subsequent search of that location using PolAir and the Dog Squad failed to find the two offenders, but what police did find in that search was a number of items dumped in Prospect Creek, which we believe are linked to the two offenders.”

A yellow jerry can was seen next to the car. Picture: TNV

Sources said locals saw men in dark clothing running away from the car as it burned. Picture: TNV

On top of the items in the creek, police also seized a parked car on Haughton St in Carramar which contained items indicating it was set to be used as a second getaway vehicle.

Commander Toynton said police were appealing for anyone with information about a man who may have received significant burns to their legs in the last 24 hours, as well as any doctors or pharmacists who may have been approached to help anyone with such injuries.

“There was a number of factors which haven’t gone well (for the gunmen),” Supt Toynton said.

“My message to those two people is we’re going to get you, we’ve got strong evidence which is going to link you to the scene, so the best option is come forward now.”

Hamdan, 19, was with two other people when the masked gunmen opened fire as they backed out of a home on Chisholm Rd in Auburn about 3.10pm on Wednesday.

Supt Toynton said while the young man was refusing to assist police with their inquiries, it would not “sway” the efforts of detectives to track down those responsible.

“You can’t shoot guns in public areas without expecting to face the full force of NSW Police,” Supt Toynton said.

Underworld figure survives third shooting

The Daily Telegraph earlier revealed Hamdan — an associate of the Hamzy crime clan — had in recent weeks been encouraged by NSW Police to leave Sydney after they received intelligence of an imminent threat to his life.

Khoder Hamdan has survived a third public shooting in less than 18 months.

Police on the scene on Chisholm Rd in Auburn after a drive by shooting on Wednesday afternoon. Picture: Jonathan Ng

His narrow escape on Wednesday followed him being the target of a shooting in Auburn in May 2023 and then another in Wetherill Park a few months later in August 2023.

“This is a targeted shooting and has strong links to organised crime,” Supt Toynton said on Thursday.

While Hamdan was the intended target of the gunmen, multiple homes and his vehicle were hit by bullets.

Neighbours who heard the shots called Triple-0 and both police and NSW Ambulance paramedics rushed to the scene, however it is understood Hamdan refused both treatment and to talk to police.

Police believe that after opening fire on Hamdan the gunmen drove to Atkins Ave, some 10 minutes away in the suburb of Carramar, where they were seen in dark clothing escaping on foot through the adjacent Heiden Park Reserve as the car burned.

Video taken at the scene shows a yellow jerry can, presumably used to start the fire, sitting in the middle of the road next to the silver Lexus sedan as the getaway car burns.

Moments later a local resident wearing hi-vis runs over and attempts to douse the blaze with a fire extinguisher, however the scale of the inferno meant it could not be put out until fire crews arrived.

Hamdan was targeted twice last year - at Auburn on May 30, 2023 and Wetherill Park on August 25, 2023.

Roughly an hour later at 4.40pm another car, believed to be a second getaway vehicle, was found alight on Clyde St in Guildford several hours later.

In a statement, NSW Police said they were conducting a canvas of all crime scenes.

 

“Officers have been informed that two men were seen to be running from the vicinity in Atkins Ave,” a police statement read.

“Local police – with the assistance of the Dog Squad and PolAir – are conducting a canvas of the area.

“Both incidents are believed to be linked and crime scenes have been established at the locations that will be examined by specialist officers.”

Detectives were seen at all three crime scenes, interviewing neighbours as residents tried to get back to their homes which were blocked off by police tape.

Some locals who were trapped within the perimeter of the crime scene were forced to order food to be delivered, unable to get to the shops to prepare anything for dinner.

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Originally published as Man survives third shooting in 18 months in Western Sydney