New South Wales' top police officer says it is her "greatest fear" an innocent person will be killed in Sydney's escalating gang wars.
Comanchero kingpin Tarek Zahed and his brother Omar sustained multiple gunshot wounds after being hit with a hail of bullets at Bodyfit Fitness Centre, in Auburn in Western Sydney, just after 8pm last night.
The men were treated at the scene with Omar, 39, shot multiple times in the arms, stomach and legs before going into cardiac arrest and dying.
His older brother Tarek, 41, was shot up to 10 times, including in the head.
He was taken to Westmead Hospital and is in a serious but stable condition after undergoing surgery.
Commissioner Webb said she understood the community would be concerned about the latest attack, which took place on a busy street, forcing witnesses to dive for cover.
"I am here to reassure the community we are doing everything we can," she said.
The Police Commissioner said a crackdown on organised crime was having an impact.
"I can't tell you the number of murders we have stopped or prevented but we are doing a lot and we will continue to do it."
Police revealed that the two brothers who were targeted in the shooting were warned only last Thursday that their lives were at risk.
"Their lives have been at risk for some time," State Crime Commander, Assistant Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said.
"They were warned last Thursday that their lives were at risk as they had been on countless other occasions.
"And they decided not to avail themselves of the resources and recommendations and suggestions of NSW Police to leave our state."
A grim-faced Deputy Premier, Paul Toole, described the latest shooting as "shocking, disturbing and unacceptable".
"If you are involved in the criminal world, if you are an associate then I say to you right now, you better rethink your activates because we are going to come after you and lock you up," he said.
"We will actually kick down doors, we will raid homes, we will raid businesses, we will harass you, we will disrupt your everyday life to stamp this kind of activity out."
He announced that an additional 30 police officers would be assigned to the Raptor Squad, which has been set up to combat organised crime in NSW, boosting the number of police involved from 115 officers to 145.
"We are not targeting mum and dad, we are targeting criminals. They know who they are," Commissioner Webb said.
Homicide detectives have described how about 8pm on Tuesday night two men were seen getting out of a car at the Auburn gym before opening fire, peppering Tarek Zahed and his brother Omar with bullets.
"Police were first on the scene and gave CPR and probably saved Tarek Zahed's life and that's why he's alive and taken to hospital," Homicide Squad Commander, Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said.
He said the attack happened in full view of staff and clients at the gym.
"There were witnesses inside the gym and also employees and they've been assisting police with our enquiries."
Superintendent Doherty described the scene police were confronted with as "bloody" and said there was an "abundant amount" of ballistic material that was still being examined.
He said police are waiting to interview Tarek Zahed from his hospital bed.
Detectives are investigating whether there is any link between the targeted hit on Tarek Zahed and the fatal shooting of Mahmoud "Brownie" Ahmad at Greenacre two weeks ago.
They are also looking at whether the latest attack was the result of a power struggle within the Comancheros, which police described as "Australia's largest criminal network".
"Obviously with all these shootings and people are being killed, there's opportunity for people to try to take their place," Superintendent Doherty said.
"There's a real power struggle within different criminal networks."
Shortly after the attack, two Audi cars were found set alight in Berala and Greenacre in south-west Sydney.
Residents in Greenacre reported hearing a large explosion.
Detectives say CCTV footage from the scene suggested that a person was standing close to the car when it burst into flames.
"There was a reasonable theory that person will be injured and obviously that's a line of enquiry for us, if anyone knows someone who's recently been burnt," Superintendent Doherty said.
