Woman shot in Bankstown was innocent bystander, police confirm, as hunt for gunman continues
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT: Police have confirmed the woman shot at a Bankstown shopping centre on Friday was an innocent bystander.
The 32-year-old woman remains in hospital in a stable condition, after copping a stray bullet while sitting at a different table near the two people believed to be targeted in the underworld hit.
Two men were also shot during the incident which occurred on a rooftop carpark of Bankstown Central shopping centre just before midday on Friday.
Sydney underworld figure and convicted killer Walid "Wally" Ahmad, 40, died at the scene and a 50-year-old man remains in a stable condition in hospital.
Initial reports suggested the woman might have been Ahmad's girlfriend.
The gunman remains on the run.
NSW police have focused their investigation on an abandoned car in Victoria, to determine whether it is linked to shooting.
The damaged ute was found abandoned at 3am Saturday, crashed in bushland in Benalla.
The ute was found with a tree lying across its bonnet.
Police were unable to find the driver, and the car was placed under police guard for a full forensic examination.
Police have not confirmed whether the Sydney shooting is linked to the crashed car.
Meanwhile on Saturday NSW police feared a gangland war may erupt in Sydney, after underworld killer Ahmed was gunned down.
Ahmed was the subject of a murder probe into a fatal gunfight earlier in April, outside his smash repair business in Condell Park.
Safwan Charbajl died in that incident and another man was also seriously injured.
Police are investigating whether Charbajl's death sparked Ahmed's shooting.
Ahmad was killed on the rooftop of Bankstown Central, shortly before midday on Friday.
He was jailed in 2002 for the manslaughter of Mayez Dany, 39, following a dispute.
He was reportedly known for his stand-over tactics in the automotive industry and was investigated for his role in an extortion racket.
"There are two distinct crime groups now involved in a feud and they are extremely violent," one police officer said.
Police quickly confirmed Ahmad’s death was a planned ambush.
"It's clearly targeted. This is not a random shooting," Detective Superintendent David Eardley said.
"People need to understand and feel safe to go about the streets and their daily lives."
On Friday police released CCTV footage showing a white Mercedes, the suspected getaway car, which was driving down a nearby street followed by a white hatchback.
The footage was reportedly filmed shortly before both cars were found burnt-out in Greenacre.
CCTV shows convicted killer's last moments before gangland shooting
Graphic and distressing images show the victim lying on the ground just outside the centre, covered in blood while a man performs CPR on his chest.
Emotional pleas from friends and family can be heard, as one man cries, “Walid, Walid! Don’t die on me Walid!”
The surviving male victim, Nael Hamid, joked that he was injured from “fireworks”.
Witnesses claim they heard arguing outside Bankstown Central shopping centre before they saw a masked man open fire.
On Friday night 7 News released videos shot before the shooting, of an interview with Ahmad in 2011.
He was jailed in 2002 over another murder and told of how he got involved in the criminal world.
"I started working as a security guard, bodyguard, looking after clubs, this and that... and s**t hit the fan, escalated," he told 7 News.
Ahmad had allegedly been on the run since April 9, after being connected to a shooting at smash repair business, A Team Smash Repair, in Condell Park where Safwan Charbaji, was fatally shot in the chest.
A woman working at a cosmetics shop inside the shopping centre told ‘’News Corp’’ a man and distressed woman ran into the store, demanding her to call security.
“Where’s store security? Can you call them?” the shop assistant claims the woman said, banging her hand on the counter.
“There’s not enough f***ing time," the man reportedly said before the two fled to the car park where the shooting occurred.
Mr Ahmad’s niece, who asked not to be named, told News Corp that the victim was her uncle.
Police are urging anyone with information in relation to this incident to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.