The man shot dead in the carpark of a busy petrol station by a balaclava-clad gunman has been identified as Nidal Acherkouk.
The shooter remains on the run after police were called to Baptist Street in Surry Hills after locals reported hearing gunshots just before 8pm on Friday.
Police found Acherkouk, aged in his 30s, near the carpark of a BP petrol station on the corner of Crown and Cleveland Street.
NSW Police said on Saturday that Acherkouk had links to underworld organisations in Sydney and was known to police at the time of his death.
South Sydney Police Area Command Superintendent Andrew Garner said the attack was ‘targeted’ during a press conference on Saturday.
‘We believe it was targeted, and that he was the intended target of that attack, and there’s no broader risk or threat to the public in relation to this,’ he said.
Supt Garner said Acherkouk had suffered a gunshot wound to his upper body but couldn’t confirm how many shots had been fired.
‘He was alone in his vehicle in the service station,’ he said.
Images from the scene showed blood stains (pictured) on the road near the petrol station
The shooter remains on the run after police were called to Baptist Street in Surry Hills after locals reported hearing gunshots just before 8pm on Friday (pictured is the scene on Friday)
‘After that he got out of the vehicle and went on foot down Cleveland Street where he has succumbed to his injuries.’
Supt Garner said the incident was ‘outrageous’ and demonstrated a lack of regard for public safety in a busy and crowded part of the city.
‘We’ll be working very hard to identify and arrest those involved and hold them to account,’ Supt Garner said.
Images from the scene showed blood stains on the road near the service station.
Earlier, a blood-soaked white sheet was seen covering Acherkouk’s body as paramedics desperately worked to revive him.
A Porsche, believed to be the getaway car, was found on fire on Kensington Road in Kensington, about an hour after the shooting.
Supt Garner said police are investigating the movements of the burnt-out vehicle.
NSW Police said in a statement on Friday night that the shooting and the burnt out car are believed to be linked.
Earlier, blood-soaked white sheet was seen covering the man’s body as paramedics desperately worked to revive him (pictured)
Swarms of emergency responders, including police and at least five emergency vehicles were at the scene.
Officers secured the intersection of Cleveland and Bourke Streets before a police operation commenced.
Several people, who were inside one store, were forced to duck for cover at the sound of gunshots.
One local who was dining nearby told Daily Mail Australia she heard three gunshots go off in the direction of the BP.
Witnesses reported seeing the gunman jump from a car before the shooting, while another witness said they saw a ‘bloodied’ man after the incident.
Another man told the Daily Telegraph he heard ‘bang after bang’ and said ‘everyone just panicked’ as chaos ensued.
‘People running and screaming everywhere. It was surreal. Terrifying,’ he said.
Some businesses were forced to shut their doors for the night with local grocery store Harris Farm reportedly urging shoppers to leave.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing with anyone with information about the incident has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
