A man is dead and a gunman is on the loose after a brazen execution-style shooting inside a busy shopping strip in Sydney’s west.
Bankstown’s Old Town Plaza remains locked down after the offender fired at least four shots from handgun at ‘Happy Cup Cafe’ shortly before 4pm on Tuesday in front of terrified shoppers.
One man, believed to be a prominent lawyer aged in his 60s, was shot several times in the pelvic region and died at the scene.
One man, believed to be a prominent lawyer aged in his 60s, was shot several times in the pelvic region and died at the scene (Pictured)
Bankstown’s Old Town Plaza remains locked down after the offender fired at least four shots from handgun at ‘Happy Cup Cafe’ (pictured) shortly before 4pm on Tuesday in front of terrified shoppers
Paramedics remain at the scene of the shooting, as the offender remains on the run from the police
The shooter has gone on the run with police using sniffer dogs in their hunt for the man
NSW Police confirmed the man died of gunshot wounds after they attended the incident.
Detectives believe the shooting to be a ‘targeted attack’ as they continue to hunt the offender.
‘We do believe that it is a targeted attack – that’s how it appears at this stage,’ Acting Commander Brad Thorne said.
No one else was injured in the shooting, which happened in front of shocked shoppers in broad daylight.
A witness told Daily Mail Australia she watched as the gunman left his alleged victim lying on the floor of the cafe as he fled towards the station.
‘I got out of the car and just saw him on the floor out of breath…’ she said.
‘The guy that shot him ran towards the station wearing green clothing.’
Detectives believe the shooting to be a ‘targeted attack’ as they continue to hunt the offender
A witness told Daily Mail Australia she watched as the gunman left his alleged victim lying on the floor of the cafe as he fled towards the station
Bankstown City Plaza remains locked down after the offender opened fire on ‘Happy Cup cafe’ (pictured) shortly before 4pm on Tuesday
No one else was injured in the shooting, which happened in front of shocked shoppers in broad daylight (Pictured is the victim)
The attacker is now on the run and was pictured on CCTV footage (pictured) before the incident
CCTV footage captured the alleged killer walking through Bankstown wearing a green shirt just before the shooting.
A mother who also witnessed the shooting from a restaurant across the street reported hearing four gun shots before watching cafe patrons flee the scene.
‘I was in a restaurant right across from the cafe, heard four gun shots and saw people running away from the scene,’ a witness told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I ran outside and saw shops closing their doors and people running to the cafe standing around. Called 000, people were saying the guy is dead.
My eight-year-old daughter was in hysterics, the poor thing screamed and ran behind the counter.’
A mother who also witnessed the shooting from a restaurant across the street reported hearing four gun shots before watching cafe patrons flee the scene (pictured)
No one else was injured in the shooting, which happened in front of shocked shoppers in broad daylight (Pictured is a map showing the location of the cafe)
A gunman has gone on the run after firing shots into a cafe inside a busy shopping strip in Sydney’s west
Duy Nguyen, who was working across the street, said he heard three shots but thought it was a firecracker.
He told AAP the man was sitting with other people at a table outside the Happy Cup cafe.
‘At first no one called out for help when he was shot,’ Mr Nguyen said.
‘From what we were able to see he was on the floor.
‘I’m a bit shaken right now, it was scary, it happened opposite us.’
Ms Gjorgjieva also said she and other restaurant patrons across the street evacuated the area.
‘We evacuated the restaurant through the rear entrance. She [my daughter] was scared that I was so close to the window,’ she added.
Witnesses reported hearing several gunshots at the Happy Cup Cafe in Bankstown (pictured)
Bankstown City Plaza remains locked down after the offender opened fire on ‘Happy Cup cafe’ in the shopping complex shortly before 4pm
Police officers speak to witnesses outside the Bankstown City Plaza, where a man was shot
People gather outside the Bankstown City Plaza after the shock shooting on Tuesday afternoon
Paramedics reportedly performed CPR on the man, however they were unable to save him.
The shooter has gone on the run with police using sniffer dogs in their hunt for the man.
More than 50 police officers responded to the shooting, including riot squads who continue to search for the armed offender.
Some buses through Bankstown Railway Station are delayed up to 30 minutes due to the nearby police lockdown.
The shooter has gone on the run with police using sniffer dogs in their hunt for the man
More than 50 police officers responded to the shooting, including riot squads who continue to search for the armed offender
Some buses through Bankstown Railway Station are delayed up to 30 minutes due to the nearby police lockdown
A heavy police presence remains outside the Bankstown City Plaza, as a manhunt continues for the offender