Dashcam footage has emerged of the dramatic moments after a ute carrying two associates of the Alameddine crime gang was targeted in a drive-by shooting on one of Sydney‘s busiest roads.
Detectives believe Samimjan Azari, 26, was the intended target of the shooting on Church Street beneath the M4 overpass in Granville on Sunday night.
The alleged Alameddine crime gang leader was in the backseat of a Toyota HiLux ute with his ‘bodyguard’ Levi Vitukawalu, 28, at the time. Both were uninjured.
However, the two men sitting in the front – fellow Alameddine associate Dawood Zakaria, 32, and solicitor Sylvan Singh – both suffered gunshot wounds.
Zakaria was shot in the head and remains on life support in hospital. Police don’t expect him to survive.
Mr Singh suffered wounds to his upper body and is a stable condition. He doesn’t have any underworld links aside from his work in the legal field.
Police said Sunday’s incident was the third shooting in a ‘tit for tat’ internal war within the powerful Alameddine crime clan.
Dashcam footage showed the HiLux travelling in the opposite direction suddenly mounting the median strip on Woodville Road and swerving into oncoming traffic moments after seven shots were fired from a black Mercedes.
Dramatic dashcam showed the white Toyota HiLux crossing the median strip after the vehicle was shot at seven times along Woodville Road in Granville on Sunday night
It’s understood alleged high-ranking Alameddine crime gang member Samimjan Azari (pictured at the scene with police) was the intended target of the shooting
Alameddine associate Dawood Zakaria was shot in the head and is not expected to survive his injuries
The ute pulled over on Church Street moments later under the M4 overpass, where passing motorists also stopped to help the two injured men.
It’s understood the gunmen was following the HiLux from a police station, where Azari had just reported for bail over an alleged armed robbery.
Azari was seen sitting on a footpath near the scene of the shooting on Sunday night while surrounded by police officers on Sunday.
Both his hands were covered with evidence bags.
Police allegedly found a firearm inside the HiLux and later charged both Azari and Vitukawalu with possession of an unauthorised pistol and acquiring pistol subject to firearms prohibition order.
The pair appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Monday, where police prosecutor Kye Jiang opposed bail for Azari amid fears his ‘senior role’ in the Alameddine gang could cause further bloodshed, the Daily Telegraph reported.
‘There will be further bloodshed on the streets, the streets will not be safe, and it’s all because of his holding in the Alameddine network,’ Sergeant Jiang said.
‘This is the third shooting at the epicentre of this particular tit for tat feud between particular organised criminal networks.’
The HiLux ute was captured on dashcam swerving into oncoming traffic before pulling over moments later
Solicitor Sylvan Singh (pictured), who is not associated with the gang aside from his work in the legal field, suffered gunshot wounds to his upper-body
Azari and his ‘bodyguard’ Levi Vitukawalu (pictured lying on the ground) were granted bail in Parramatta Local Court on Monday
Alameddine associate Dawood Zakaria (pictured) remains on life support after being shot in the head
Sergeant Jiang told the court police were able to link the HiLux to Azari following months of police investigation and surveillance.
He added the need for Azari to travel with ‘bodyguards’ was an indication of an intense ‘feud’ in the gang.
‘The firearm… the tinted windows… the need for two bodyguards is consistent with the position of a high-ranking member of the organisation who has already had an attempt on his life,’ Sergeant Jiang said.
The court also heard that Sunday’s shooting was the second attempt on the lives of Azari and Zakaria within months.
The pair previously survived another targeted shooting earlier this year at Brighton-Le-Sands in Sydney’s south.
Azari’s solicitor Christopher Parkin, described the prosecution’s case as ‘weak’ and claimed they had little evidence linking the gun to Azari.
‘There’s nothing in the Crown case to suggest it was Mr Azari’s,’ Mr Parkin said.
‘Attending the police station in the presence of a solicitor, knowing he was in possession of a gun, whilst subject to a firearms prohibition, just defies belief.’
A Mercedes (pictured) was found alight a short time later 3.5km away in Merrylands West
It’s believed the gunmen followed HiLux from a police station where Azari was reporting, as per his bail conditions
Magistrate Bryan Robinson agreed and granted both Azarti and Vitukawalu bail.
The pair are banned from associating with anyone else who was in the HiLux at the time of the shooting as part of their bail conditions.
Those responsible for the shooting remain at large.
An abandoned Mercedes was found alight a short time later in a carpark 3.5km away near the intersection of Sherwood Road and Todd St in Merrylands West.
A second torched vehicle was later found in the neighbouring suburb of Woodpark.
Police are putting numerous resources into the investigation under Strike Force Arrino.
‘I believe … everyone in that vehicle was potentially an intended target,’ Criminal Groups Squad boss Superintendent Jason Box told reporters on Monday.
‘There’s one shooter, but potentially two that have fired at the vehicle.’
NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned those involved in the ‘horrifying’ attack and said they would be ‘met with the full force of the law’.
‘It’s naked violence on Sydney streets, and I want to make it clear that NSW Police put enormous resources into it.
If you’re caught in relation to one of these horrifying acts of violence or murder that you can expect to spend most of the rest of your life in a small jail cell,’ Premier Minns said.
The recently-emerged dashcam footage shows the HiLux ute crossed the median strip on Woodville Rd before coming to a stop
Azari (pictured), the alleged leader of the Alameddine crime gang, was travelling in the backseat of a Toyota HiLux ute
NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned those involved in the ‘horrifying’ attack and said they would be ‘met with the full force of the law’
‘This is appalling behaviour. It needs to be met with the full force of the law, and that’s what will happen.’
Police urge anyone with information or dashcam footage related to the shooting to come forward.
The latest shooting comes just days after tradie John Versace, 23, who had no links to organised crime, was gunned down in a hail of bullets at his doorstep in Condell Park in the city’s south-west.
Police are investigating whether the murder was a case of mistaken identity and don’t believes it’s linked to Sunday’s shooting.
