A FIFTH man has been shot in a fortnight on Sydney's streets, with the Police Minister describing the trend as a case of criminals shooting criminals.
Police Minister Mike Gallacher said the spate of brazen attacks, which have claimed the lives of two men, were not random and that the victims knew their attackers.
"These criminals are targeting other criminals," he said.
He spoke after a man in his 40s went to Fairfield Hospital with a bullet wound to his leg on Monday, about 11.30pm, bringing NSW's shooting tally this year to 65, with six dead.
It came a day after a 32-year-old man linked to the Comanchero bikie gxxg was shot in the torso in St Marys.
In other shootings, Bassil Hijazi, 19, survived after being shot in the neck in the early morning of July 16, in Bexley. Hells Angel Ali Jammas died in hospital after being shot at Abbotsbury on July 12.
On July 8, alleged Hells Angel member Tyrone Slemnik was killed and a 25-year-old was shot in the leg in Eastlakes.
Police searched hundreds of homes and cars in weekend raids in a bikie crackdown.
More than 100 uniformed police officers raided 267 premises and searched 54 people and 39 cars in the weekend operation.
The string of recent shootings were allegedly the result of an escalating turf war between the Hells Angels and Comanchero bikie gxxgs.
The shootings were all targeted, Mr Gallacher told reporters in Sydney.
"The victims invariably know the offenders, there's nothing random in any of these," he said.
"These criminals are targeting other criminals."
However police suspected Monday's shooting in Fairfield may not have been bikie related.
"There's a few bizarre circumstances about this one that we can't unravel," Fairfield Inspector John Corn said.
"It's different to the other shootings over the recent days where we could definitely say they were targeted this one is a little out of the ordinary."
Senior police said some criminals may be taking advantage of the high profile gxxg war between the Hells Angels and Commancheros to carry out shootings.
Shadow Police Minister Nathan Rees called on Premier Barry O'Farrell to tackle Sydney's gun crime.
"It's time for the Premier to finally show some backbone and take action against these criminal gxxgs recklessly using firearms on our suburban streets," Mr Rees said.
Despite the recent shootings, Mr Gallacher said crime statistics showed Sydney was safer than it has ever been and there had been a drop in drive-by shootings.
"Police are doing absolutely everything they can to lock them up, throw them in," he told reporters.
TIMELINE OF SYDNEY SHOOTINGS IN JULY 2013
July 22: Man in his mid-40s turns up at hospital after being shot in Fairfield
July 21: Man, 32, shot in the upper body in St Marys
July 16: Bassil Hijazi, 19, shot in the neck in Bexley
July 13: Shots fired into a house in South Granville three women inside unharmed
July 12: Ali Jammas executed in front of a home in Thorpe St, Abbotsbury
July 8: Tyrone Slemnik, 37, dies and a man, 25, is critically injured in a targeted shooting in Eastlakes.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/five-shootings-in-a-fortnight-as-bikie-war-rages/story-fni0cx4q-1226684002608
Police Minister Mike Gallacher said the spate of brazen attacks, which have claimed the lives of two men, were not random and that the victims knew their attackers.
"These criminals are targeting other criminals," he said.
He spoke after a man in his 40s went to Fairfield Hospital with a bullet wound to his leg on Monday, about 11.30pm, bringing NSW's shooting tally this year to 65, with six dead.
It came a day after a 32-year-old man linked to the Comanchero bikie gxxg was shot in the torso in St Marys.
In other shootings, Bassil Hijazi, 19, survived after being shot in the neck in the early morning of July 16, in Bexley. Hells Angel Ali Jammas died in hospital after being shot at Abbotsbury on July 12.
On July 8, alleged Hells Angel member Tyrone Slemnik was killed and a 25-year-old was shot in the leg in Eastlakes.
Police searched hundreds of homes and cars in weekend raids in a bikie crackdown.
More than 100 uniformed police officers raided 267 premises and searched 54 people and 39 cars in the weekend operation.
The string of recent shootings were allegedly the result of an escalating turf war between the Hells Angels and Comanchero bikie gxxgs.
The shootings were all targeted, Mr Gallacher told reporters in Sydney.
"The victims invariably know the offenders, there's nothing random in any of these," he said.
"These criminals are targeting other criminals."
However police suspected Monday's shooting in Fairfield may not have been bikie related.
"There's a few bizarre circumstances about this one that we can't unravel," Fairfield Inspector John Corn said.
"It's different to the other shootings over the recent days where we could definitely say they were targeted this one is a little out of the ordinary."
Senior police said some criminals may be taking advantage of the high profile gxxg war between the Hells Angels and Commancheros to carry out shootings.
Shadow Police Minister Nathan Rees called on Premier Barry O'Farrell to tackle Sydney's gun crime.
"It's time for the Premier to finally show some backbone and take action against these criminal gxxgs recklessly using firearms on our suburban streets," Mr Rees said.
Despite the recent shootings, Mr Gallacher said crime statistics showed Sydney was safer than it has ever been and there had been a drop in drive-by shootings.
"Police are doing absolutely everything they can to lock them up, throw them in," he told reporters.
TIMELINE OF SYDNEY SHOOTINGS IN JULY 2013
July 22: Man in his mid-40s turns up at hospital after being shot in Fairfield
July 21: Man, 32, shot in the upper body in St Marys
July 16: Bassil Hijazi, 19, shot in the neck in Bexley
July 13: Shots fired into a house in South Granville three women inside unharmed
July 12: Ali Jammas executed in front of a home in Thorpe St, Abbotsbury
July 8: Tyrone Slemnik, 37, dies and a man, 25, is critically injured in a targeted shooting in Eastlakes.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/five-shootings-in-a-fortnight-as-bikie-war-rages/story-fni0cx4q-1226684002608