Slain gangland figure’s relative dead in ‘horrific’ Sydney shooting

The 23-year-old nephew of slain gangland figure Ahmad ‘Brownie’ Mahmoud was gunned down in Sydney this morning, with police likening the violence to a ‘war’ on drugs.

A fatal shooting in Sydney’s southwest is the result of a “war of sorts” as police probe whether it’s linked to gang conflict.

Emergency services rushed to Knox Street at Belmore when a 23-year-old man was shot dead in what police have described as a “horrific” scene about 4am on Saturday.

Officers from Campsie Police Area Command found the man with multiple gunshot wounds to his torso.

The victim died at the scene despite the efforts of NSW Ambulance and his family members who tried to perform CPR before paramedics arrived.

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett confirmed the victim was the nephew of slain alleged underworld figure Mahmoud “Brownie” Ahmad, who was gunned down last month.

While police are still piecing together the motives for the shooting, Superintendent Bennett said there is clearly a “war of sorts” across Sydney’s southwest.

“We’ve clearly got a war of sorts in southwestern Sydney around drug supply and organised crime that crosses over into family relationships and the like,” he told media on Saturday.

A man believed to be aged in his 20s has been found shot dead in Sydney’s southwest. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

The State Crime Command Director said it was known there had been a run of similar offending in recent times, but called such actions “completely unacceptable”.

He said police were working tirelessly to stop and investigate such shootings when they took place.

“We know how violent these people are … We are in a state of tit for tat shootings around organised criminals in southwest Sydney,” Superintendent Bennett said.

“It’s a resource challenge for the police force and a massive challenge for the community.

“It does keep on going on … one (shooting) is too many and I’m concerned about this leaking in to harm of the public and general feeling unsafeness are experiencing in these area. I completely share this sentiment.”

A crime scene was set up at Knox St in Belmore this morning. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

Superintendent Bennett said the victim did not have a bounty on his head like other slain alleged gang members but the young man was known to police as being part of the cabal.

“It’s pretty horrific. It’s in the middle of a suburban street. It’s numerous shots fired with numerous shots hitting a person who’s clearly been targeted.

“It’s unacceptable in modern society but unfortunately across the world it happens from time to time and is a by-product of organised crime and of a certain subculture that we have in south western Sydney.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Darren Bennett described the incident as ‘horrific’ and ‘targeted’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Police are investigating whether the shooting was in retaliation to a shooting earlier in the week, where Comanchero boss Tarek Zahed and his brother Omar were targeted.

“(It’s being investigated whether) it’s related to the wider conflict,” a police source told NCA NewsWire earlier this morning.

“They get who they can get, if someone is a relative (of a rival) they'll have a crack at them.”

Mahmoud "Brownie" Ahmad was shot dead last month.

Omar Zahed died from his injuries following the earlier shooting, in Auburn in Sydney’s west.

His brother Tarek, who survived serious injuries from multiple bullets, was last year described in the NSW Supreme Court as Sergeant at Arms of the Sydney Chapter of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb has previously told 2GB radio police are probing whether the Zahed shooting was in retaliation for the hit on “Brownie” Ahmad.

Police, including specialist forensic officers and organised crime detectives, were on the crime scene at Knox Street on Saturday morning, which remains closed with local traffic diversions in place.

Police established Strike Force Bati to co-ordinate the investigation and homicide squad detectives will take the lead.

Investigations into the shooting are continuing. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

A police spokeswoman confirmed detectives were investigating whether the shooting was gang-related as one of their lines of inquiry.

However it was too early to know the full circumstances around the incident.

Two vehicles were set on fire, at Croydon Park and Bexley North, shortly after the shooting, police said.

NSW Police and the state government have vowed to crack down on organised crime and gun violence after a spate of deadly shootings in recent months.

“If you are involved in that activity, you will be found and you will be locked up,” Premier Dominic Perrottet said earlier in the week.

Saturday’s incident was the second deadly shooting in southwest Sydney this week, and the third in the past three weeks.

Police told state parliament’s budget estimates earlier in the month there had been 11 suspected gang-related homicides in Sydney’s southwest since late 2020.