Peter Zervas, 32, was shot in the chest, arm and abdomen about 11.30pm (AEDT) last night while getting out of his vehicle in an underground carpark at a unit block in Punchbowl Road, Lakemba.
It is believed the attackers were lying in waiting and fled the scene shortly after the shooting. While police would not speculate whether the injured man was Mr Zervas, the unit block is believed to be where Hells Angel Peter Zervas and his family live.
The man was found slumped on the ground, bleeding heavily from his injuries. Four ambulance officers, under police guard, battled to keep him alive in the back of the ambulance as he was taken to St George hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery early this morning. He is currently in a serious but stable condition.
The public order and riot squad were stationed at the hospital early today. Three armed security guards were stationed in the emergency department while two police cars and Polair were patrolling outside the building. Mr Zervas's parents, his mother dressed in black, were escorted out of the hospital by two police officers just before 1pm (AEDT). They got in the back seat of a black car with tinted windows that then drove away from the hospital. Officers from Strike Force Raptor, the anti-bikie operation which was officially launched last week, are now investigating the shooting. Police last night locked down a 300m stretch of Punchbowl Rd as forensic officers, detectives and police dogs scoured the street looking for shell casings and other clues.
Police are appealing for the driver of a white motor vehicle, who encountered a man who fled the scene, to come forward. The man was described as being around 173cm tall, of muscular build, with long dark collar length hair and wearing a dark long sleeved jacket and dark jeans. The driver had to sound his horn while avoiding the man running across Punchbowl Road shortly after the gunshots were heard.
NSW police Gang Squad Commander Mal Lanyon refused to confirm the identity of the latest victim but did say he was a member of the Hells Angels. "We're not actually revealing how many times he was shot," Detective Superintendent Lanyon told ABC Radio. "He was certainly shot a number of times." When asked whether the shooter was a bikie, he said: "I think it's probably realistic that we will be looking at other motorcycle gangs." Det Supt Lanyon would not say whether police had information that Peter Zervas was in any danger prior to the shooting. He said public should not believe the gangs were a law unto themselves and police were putting as many resouces as possible into stemming the violence. "The police are in control of these matters, the police are certainly taking them seriously," he said. "Obviously I'm not about to tell you these matters will stop today but certainly we treat them seriously."
He said violence between gangs was common and escalated from time to time. Shortly after the shooting police were also called to a business in Kings Cross which had been sprayed with gunfire.Several shots were fired and penetrated the structure of the business but no one was injured. Two men were seen leaving the area on foot shortly after the shots were heard.
Anthony Zervas, 29, was bludgeoned to death during a brawl in the domestic terminal at Sydney Airport on the afternoon of March 22.
He was killed during a fight between 15 members of the Hells Angels and the rival bikie gang the Comancheros. Five people have been charged with affray over the brawl but no one has been charged with Zervas' death after security footage at the airport did not directly show the brawl. Amid public cries outlaw bikie gangs were out of control, an additional 75 police officers added to Strike Force Raptor to help target the gangs and their alleged illegal activities.
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