Auburn kebab shop triple shooting: Police investigating links to Airtasker-style app, multiple torched cars

A brazen triple shooting in western Sydney, which left an innocent female kebab shop worker with significant injuries, is believed to have been carried out by two men hired on an app similar to Airtasker.

Police and paramedics rushed to South Parade in Auburn on Monday following reports of the shooting outside Brothers Kebab shop at around 1.15pm.

It has since been revealed that one of the victims was an innocent bystander who was working in the kebab shop at the time of the alleged gangland attack.

Two masked men stormed the takeaway shop and opened fire at an alleged underworld figure, Samimjan Azari, 26, and another man who was acting as Mr Azari’s bodyguard, The Daily Telegraph is reporting.

A terrified 50-year-old female employee was shot twice in the torso during the attack which occurred along a busy shopping strip opposite Auburn train station.

Mr Azari suffered gunshot wounds to his arm and shoulder, while his bodyguard was shot in the face.

The two offenders fled the scene in a black Audi Q7 bearing cloned number plates.

All three victims were taken to Westmead Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Police told the Daily Telegraph that they were looking into whether the gunmen were hired on an online platform similar to Airtasker.

Detectives confirmed that this method was used in a separate murder attempt of an Alameddine crime figure within the last month.

It comes as police investigate three torched cars found in Merrylands, Greystanes and Harris Park as having possible links to the shooting.

One of the burnt-out cars was found on Hilltop Road in Merrylands shortly before 3.10am, and another on Gerald Street in Greystanes around 3.20am.

Acting NSW Police Commissioner, Peter Thurtell, described the incident as incomprehensible, with initial inquiries indicating the 26-year-old man, who is known to police, was the target of the attack.

“As recently as last Friday, police had spoken with the man due to concerns about his safety. This man has already been the target of previous shooting attempts,” the Commissioner said.

“It’s outrageous that these people have now taken their fight to the streets of Sydney. This is not what we expect in this city,” Mr Thurtell said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the criminals who committed this “shockingly brazen” attack could “expect to spend years inside small jail cells”.

“NSW Police Force investigators are already hunting down those responsible,” he said.

“We don’t stand for it and NSW Police doesn’t stand for it.”

The Premier added that the NSW Police has laid charges in relation to 20 out of 25 organised crime-related murders since 2021, saying “they’re not done yet”.

“People committing this kind of violence can expect to be arrested, charged and to spend years inside small jail cells,” Mr Minns added.

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