Getting shot in the face outside a Sydney gym on Thursday afternoon was just another bloody chapter in the life of ex-bikie boss Mahmoud ‘Mick’ Hawi.
An unknown assailant opened fire on the former Comancheros president, 37, at Fitness First Rockdale, in the city’s south-west, about 12.10pm on Thursday.
Paramedics and police tried to save the father-of-two as the suspected gunman leapt into a Mercedes getaway car. Reports claimed he is ‘brain dead’ in hospital.
The Lebanese migrant was freed from jail about two years ago for his role in a fatal brawl between the Comancheros and rival gang the Hells Angels at Sydney Airport.
Former Comancheros boss Mick Hawi, with wife Caroline Gonzales, in a social media photo
Hawi, left and right, pleaded guilty to manslaughter over his role in a fatal brawl at the airport
A shot of Sydney Airport following the violent fracas in the terminal in 2009
The melee was described as an ‘explosion of violence’ – featuring a flurry of punches and stabbings – and ended with Anthony Zervas, the brother of a Hells Angels gang members, being knifed in the chest and bludgeoned to death with a 17kg bollard.
‘You’re a dead man, you’re f***ing dead,’ witnesses recalled underworld figure Hawi screaming at the rival group.
‘Next time we see you, you’re going to have bullet holes through you. You are a dead man walking’.
Shocked passengers watched as the deadly ‘all in brawl’ unfolded in front of them. The incident, which sparked international headlines, led to a nationwide crackdown on bikie activities.
Hawi was running a car detailing company when he was taken into custody. He had been president of the Comancheros since 2002 but was replaced after going into police custody.
A jury originally found him guilty of murder and affray and he was sentenced to close to two decades behind bars, eligible for parole in 2030.
But the conviction was overturned on appeal.
Authorities screened off parts of the airport from onlookers following the stunning brawl
Hawi later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to about three-and-a-half years’ jail time.
Justice Clifton Hoeben found Hawi had been part of the ‘ferocious’ fighting throughout the terminal but had not played a role in the deadly assault on Zervas.
Relatives claimed he was a ‘changed person’ after his initial stint in jail. He volunteered with a funeral company. His wife told the court in an affidavit that he ‘want(ed) nothing more to do with the Comancheros.
Today, Hawi stepped out of his Mercedes SUV – and was killed in a hail of bullet. Shots appear to have been aimed at the driver’s side window
The judge found Hawi’s prospects for rehabilitation were ‘good’ and prison authorities described him as pleasant and polite behind bars.
Daily Mail Australia understands he was freed in early 2016.
Hawi had kept a low profile since his release – until he opened the door of his luxury Mercedes SUV today and died in a hail of bullets.