Shocking footage shows cloaked gunmen in fatal hit in Sydney’s inner south

Police say the general public was exposed to ‘outrageous and reckless indifference’ when a man with organised crime links was shot dead in Surry Hills on Friday night | WATCH

CCTV of Surry Hills shooting

CCTV footage seen by The Australian shows the moment two cloaked figures sprint up to a car in an inner-city service station and shoot multiple times at the man who was inside.

The figures, wearing what appear to be black hooded ponchos, run up behind the car and fire shots into the driver’s window as a man in a white t-shirt sits in the driver’s seat. He can be seen ducking from the shots, before scurrying into the passenger side and jumping out the door.

He then runs behind his car as the two cloaked figures appear to shoot at him, and then turn and sprint away.

Police have now confirmed the victim was shot multiple times in the chest just before 8pm at the BP service station on Cleveland St in Surry Hills. He was known to police and had known links to organised crime. He died a short time later near the scene.

The dead man has been identified as Niddal Acherkouk by The Daily Telegraph.

A large-scale police operation is now under way to find the attackers, who are believed to have fled in a Porsche later set on fire. This CCTV video shows the lengths they went to to conceal their identities.

Superintendent Andrew Garner of South Sydney Police Area Command warned them on Saturday morning: “We’re coming for you.”

Another video, taken by onlookers a few moments later, shows the victim, with blood pooling on his white shirt, stumbling backwards into the middle of a busy intersection on Cleveland St and kneeling to the ground. Passersby try to pull him off the road, as others yell “call an ambulance” and more come to help.

On Saturday, Supt Garner explained: “At the time he was shot, he was alone in his vehicle at the service station. After that, he got out of the vehicle and went on foot down Cleveland St, west, to a point where he was eventually died near Cleveland St.”

“The male that died was known to police. He does have links to organised crime entities and I can’t say anything more in relation to that.”

The Porsche was found set on fire on Kensington Rd in nearby Kensington, and police confirmed on Friday they believe it is linked to the shooting at the highly populated area.

Cleveland and Crown streets were still closed in both directions and the nearby areas cordoned off late into Friday night, with dozens of officers in attendance.

Surry Hills shooting. Picture: Surfjaseoz/ X

“This is the outrageous incident and demonstrated the high level of reckless indifference to the public, around that area at the time,” Superintendent Garner said.

Supt Garner confirmed there was no continued risk to the public.

“This is definitely a targeted attack. As I mentioned, the man who died had known links to organised crime. So on that basis, we believe it was targeted, and that he was the intended target of that attack. There’s no broader risk or threat to the public in relation to this.”

Surry Hills locals Jack Thomson and Dom Clark were enjoying a post-work drink at the neighbouring Bar Cleveland when they heard gunshots go off moments before 8pm.

“It was jarring – everyone on the street didn’t know what to do. There were a few people running, but there was this kind of distorted hysteria,” Mr Clark told The Australian.

The pair were sitting on the balcony of the Surry Hills pub with two other patrons, when they described hearing a single gunshot, followed by three in “rapid succession”.

“We all thought ‘what was that’ and a minute later saw a fancy, black Porsche speed off,” Mr Thomson said.

“Two or three minutes later there was a cacophony of sirens coming from every direction,” Mr Clark added.

The shooting occurred just outside Surry Hills’ newest shopping and dining precinct.

Cleveland and Crown streets have been closed in both directions. Picture: Liam Mendes

A helicopter was heard flying overhead, with one witness describing the streets as “mayhem”.

In a statement, police said they were called to the area at around 7:45pm on Friday night.

“About 7.45pm on Friday, emergency services were called to Baptist St Surry Hills, near Cleveland St, following reports of shots fired,” a spokesperson said.

“On arrival, officers attached to South Sydney Police Area Command found a man – believed to be in his 30s – had suffered a gunshot wound.

“He was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics however, he died at the scene.”

Police said that a short time later emergency services were called to Kensington Rd, Kensington, following reports of a car fire.

“On arrival, officers attached to Eastern Beaches Police Area Command located a Porsche well alight,” police said.

The shooting occurred just outside Surry Hills’ newest shopping and dining precinct where House Made Hospitality – the owners of Grana, Tilda and Hinchliff House – are due to open their latest restaurant, Island Radio, this Thursday.

The Daily Telegraph reported that the nearby Harris Food Farms store told its customers to leave immediately and pubs shuttered as a result of the gunshots.