A ‘suspicious’ car was spotted parked in the street moments before a leading criminal defence lawyer was shot in his driveway, shocked neighbours told Daily Mail Australia.
Emergency services were called to the home of solicitor Mahmoud Abbas in Greenacre shortly before 10.30am on Wednesday after he was shot by ‘an unknown person’ in the torso and leg.
Police believe the shooting was targeted.
Mr Abbas was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition. It’s understood he is currently undergoing emergency surgery.
The shooting occurred on the same street where underworld figure Mahmoud ‘Brownie’ Ahmad was shot dead while visiting an associate in April 2022.
Daily Mail Australia understands police are investigating witness reports that a suspicious Toyota Yaris was seen parked in the street moments before the shooting.
Shocked residents recalled hearing three gunshots, followed by sirens minutes later.
Mahmoud Abbas (pictured) has been rushed to hospital with gunshot wounds
The lawyer was shot outside his home in Greenacre on Wednesday morning. Pictured is the crime scene
Mahmoud Abbas (pictured arriving at the hospital) is believed to be in a serious but stable condition
‘There was a Toyota Yaris with two women sitting in it out the front of the house. It was there about 10 minutes before the shooting,’ one neighbour told Daily Mail Australia.
‘I wonder if they were keeping an eye out then their accomplice has come and attacked.’
Footage from the scene minutes after the shooting shows the street cordoned off with several police cars and an ambulance in attendance.
Another video show a conscious and alert Mr Abbas lying on a stretcher outside his home being treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital.
Dozens of detectives have swarmed the street and were set to spend Wednesday afternoon interviewing neighbours as a police dog scoured for possible evidence.
A female relative holding a baby was seen leaving Mr Abbas’ house and was escorted by police to a car.
‘Investigations are in their infancy; however it’s believed to be a targeted incident,’ a police statement read.
Police were expected to give an update at 2pm.
One neighbour said they first thought the gunshots was from a car backfiring.
‘It’s just awful. It’s happened again. That’s the same street where the shooting was last year,’ one woman said.
A boy, 15, who lives in the street, was walking to school when he heard gunshots and then saw police cars racing down the street.
‘I heard bang, bang, bang and I thought “oh no. It’s happened again”,’ he said.
Another man who did not want to be named said he heard what sounded like three firecrackers going off.
He did not know Mr Abbas personally but said he had seen the lawyer’s young family in the neighbourhood.
‘They seemed like a nice young family,’ he told Daily Mail Australia.
Mahmoud Abbas (pictured) was treated for gunshot wounds before he was rushed to hospital
Neighbours recalled seeing a ‘suspicious vehicle’ parked in Narelle Crescent shortly before the shooting. Pictured are detectives at the crime scene
The Greenacre street remains a crime scene with police dogs scouring for evidence
Mr Abbas was gunned down in Narelle Crescent, the same street underworld figure Mahmoud ‘Brownie’ Ahmad was shot dead in April 2022
Mahmoud Abbas (left) is one of Sydney’s leading criminal defence lawyers
Local detectives are being assisted by the State Crime Command’s Criminal Groups and Raptor Squad in the investigations.
It comes just days after three people were shot in an industrial area of the same suburb at 2.15am on Sunday.
Mr Abbas specialises in criminal law and has represented a range of high profile Sydney identities including former Auburn deputy mayor Salim Mehajer and accused members of an ISIS-inspired terror cell.
The Abbas Jacobs Lawyers website is currently down online.
Mr Abbas also represented the four men who allegedly abducted a Hamze associate from the northern beaches.
He started his career working for well-known criminal defence lawyer Brett Galloway and is the son of a farmer from the NSW Snowy Mountains.
Mahmoud Abbas was gunned down in the driveway of his home on Wednesday morning
Detectives (pictured) spent the afternoon interviewing nearby residents
Mahmoud Abbas (pictured being treated by paramedics) was gunned down in his driveway
Underworld figure Mahmoud ‘Brownie’ Ahmad (pictured) was shot dead while visiting an associate in the same Greenacre street
Mahmoud Abbas (pictured) has represented a range of high profile Sydney identities