Granville shooting latest attack in escalating gang violence to hit Sydney

Two men who were injured in a shooting on Sunday are the latest victims of escalating underworld violence in one major city.

Two men injured in a shooting near Parramatta on Sunday are the latest victims of escalating gangland violence to hit Sydney.

Dawood Zakaria, 32, and Sydney lawyer Syvlan Singh, 25, were shot inside a Toyota HiLux while it was turning onto Woodville Rd in Granville about 5pm on Sunday.

Police allege the offenders were in a Mercedes when they fired several rounds at the HiLux, hitting Mr Zakaria and Mr Singh who were sitting in the driver and front passenger seats.

Sydney lawyer Syvlan Singh was shot in a targeted attack in Granville on Sunday. Picture: Supplied

The men received gun shot wounds during the ambush and were rushed to hospital.

The Daily Telegraph reported Mr Zakaria was shot in the head and Mr Singh received gunshot wounds to his arm and leg.

Police confirmed that Mr Zakaria was not expected to survive.

He has links to the Alameddine crime gang and was with a group targeted in a daylight shooting at Brighton-Le Sands this year in which no one was injured, news.com.au reported.

Solicitor Sylvan Singh was shot in the arm and leg during the incident. Picture: Supplied

State Crime Command Detective Superintendent Jason Box said after the shooting the HiLux mounted a curb and tried to flee the scene in the opposite direction before it stopped.

Superintendent Box confirmed that two other male passengers in the rear of the HiLux, Samimjan Azari, 26, and Levi Vitukawalu, 28, were uninjured but were arrested at the scene after police found firearms in the car.

“There’s also seven firearm casings located at that scene of the shooting,” he said.

“It is not known if the firearm that was located in the vehicle was in fact fired at all or used in this incident.”

The two uninjured passengers were charged with possession of an unauthorised firearm and breaching the firearm prevention order.

Both men were refused bail and are due to appear in the Parramatta Magistrates Court on Monday.

Samimjan Azari was a passenger in the Toyota HiLux that was ambushed by gunmen on Sunday. He has since been charged with firearm offences. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Shortly after the shooting, police were called to Sherwood St in Maryland and found a Mercedes destroyed by fire that had been used by the offenders in the shooting.

Two other vehicles were also found destroyed by fire in Wood Park and Winston Hills, but police are unsure at this stage if those vehicles are connected to the shooting.

“My view is it was a targeted and directed attack,” Superintendent Box said.

“The offenders approached the vehicle and from what I can see thus far, there’s one shooter, potentially two that have fired at the vehicle.

“There were a large number of people on the road … it’s a built-up area, there’s always a risk of harm or injury to other persons depending on how the incident goes.”

Police at the scene of the gangland shooting. Picture: Rohan Kelly

Superintendent Box said police were looking at incidents over the last number of months to see if there was any connection with Sunday’s shooting in Granville.

“There’s been other occasions where organised crime have committed similar offences, and the police have been very productive and proactive in stopping this,” he said.

Strike Force Arrino has been established to investigate the shooting.

Detectives urge anyone with information, dashcam footage or CCTV vision of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers.