Hassan ‘‘Sam’’ Ibrahim, was shot twice in the legs at close range

latest act in a what is believed to be a war between rival gangs took place Merrylands last night when the eldest of the Ibrahim brothers, Hassan ‘‘Sam’’ Ibrahim, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting.
Mr Ibrahim, 45,

outside his parents’ home on the corner of Holdsworth Street and Price Street, Merrylands, at about 6.45pm. He was taken to Westmead Hospital, and was discharged about 11pm.

The Holroyd Local Area commander, Brett McFadden, said police were investigating the number of shots fired and were calling on anyone with information to come forward. Anonymity would be respected, he said.

A light-coloured car carrying at least two people slowly drove by the house and several shots were fired, police said.

A resident of the street said he heard shots and then screams from the house where the shooting took place. He said family members were visibly distressed.

Sam’s brother, the nightclub entrepreneur John, arrived soon after the shooting with a group of men but quickly left.

Sam Ibrahim has been living off and on at his parents’ home since being bailed over an alleged kidnapping last year. He was charged over the knee-capping of two men in Newcastle in 2004 and over a late 1990s cocaine distribution ring involving. He was acquitted on both matters.

The main suspects in last night’s shooting will be members of the Comanchero Motorcycle Club, who have been engaged in an escalating war with the Ibrahim family and the street gang linked to them, Notorious.

Last night police sources indicated that Notorious members would perceive an attack on him as an attack on the gang.

Mr Ibrahim’s shooting comes just hours after acting assistant police commissioner Stuart Smith said they did not believe other shootings yesterday in Lansvale and Fairfield West and Wednesday night in South Wentworthville and Dean Park were related.

Last night, hundreds looked on as police closed off Price Street and Holdsworth Street. When news rippled through the crowd that the incident was a shooting, onlookers began to discuss the other recent shootings and said they did not believe they were unrelated.

‘‘A couple of months ago there was a shooting in Desmond Street and now there’s one here,” one upset onlooker said.

“We have children around here. There is a problem, the authorities should fix this.”

Residents of Price and Holdsworth streets were unable to return to their homes last night until close to midnight as police had cordoned off the area.DISCLAIMER:Text may be subject to copyright.This blog does not claim copyright to any such text. Copyright remains with the original copyright holder.