Kebab shop shooting continues state’s ‘violent chapter’

Jack Gramenz and Tom Wark | June 17, 2025

A triple shooting at a suburban restaurant has prompted an attorney-general to review a bail decision for the target of the attack amid fears of escalating gangland violence.

A 26-year-old man, identified in media reports as senior Alameddine criminal network member Samimjam Azari, is in a stable condition after the latest attempt on his life.

He is expected to recover fully after being shot in the arm and shoulder at a western Sydney eatery.

A 25-year-old man accompanying him was shot in the head and is in a critical but stable condition, while a 47-year-old woman who worked at the restaurant is stable after being shot in the torso and arm.

The trio were injured when gunmen struck an Auburn kebab shop in the eighth Sydney shooting in six weeks, marking an escalation in the city’s gangland wars.

The shop was closed on Tuesday afternoon while neighbouring businesses contended with a busy afternoon trade.

More than 150 police have been knocking on doors to check bail compliance, search for guns and warn other potential targets as part of a task force established after a shooting in May.

“We’re doing absolutely everything we can to ensure that this does not happen again,” Detective Superintendent Jason Box told reporters.

The “saturation” of police in the area may have put criminals on edge and led to the delay between the shooting and a series of fires involving cars believed to be linked to the attack, Det Supt Box said.

It was also evident when riot police were among those responding to reports of a brawl involving schoolchildren near the scene of the shooting on Tuesday afternoon.

Azari was “reasonably dismissive” when police earlier warned him of threats to his life.

“I’m hoping that this individual reassesses his movements,” Det Supt Box said.

He had reported to police on bail an hour before the shooting on Monday.

Two cars were found alight about 3.15am on Tuesday in Merrylands and Greystanes, not far from the kebab shop, with residents helping police extinguish one vehicle.

A black Audi – believed to be a getaway vehicle after the shooting – was earlier found alight about 6pm on Monday at Harris Park.

A white ute found alight on Tuesday morning was allegedly carrying masked and armed men targeting Azari on Friday.

He also survived other recent shootings at Granville and Brighton-Le-Sands. 

Police expressed concerns of further violence when asking for Azari to be refused bail and will continue to do so for other alleged criminals believed to be linked to organised crime.

“We’ll be putting forward our concerns for these people not to be on the streets and it’s quite obvious that they shouldn’t be,” Det Supt Box said.

Premier Chris Minns told reporters Attorney-General Michael Daley was looking at the transcript of the court’s decision to grant Azari bail.

The government has tightened bail laws for certain offences in the past and would consider doing so again, but police had all the resources required to catch “these animals”.

“Their disregard for human life, their disregard for the laws that we have in Australia, is horrifying,” Mr Minns said.

“This is a horrifying, violent chapter in the state’s history and it needs to be met with the full force of the law.”