This is the shocking moment a gunman casually walks into a fast food restaurant in Panama and shoots a man in the head at point blank range.

Police in the Central American country have released the CCTV footage in their hunt for the suspected hitman.

It shows the 35-year old victim Jacob Van Der Hart, having a snack at the Tiriton restaurant, in the neighbourhood of Bella Vista of Panama City, in Panama when the gunmen enters.

The suspected hired killer (right) who blasted a Dutchman (centre) in the head at point-blank range while he was having a snack at a fast food restaurant.

Casually approaching the victim, whose back was turned, the killer is seen walking up behind him and pointing the gun at his head. He then carefully takes aim before pulling the trigger.

After a brief flash from the gun, Mr Van Der Hart, who was sat across the table from Colombian Humberto Antonio Acosta, topples to one side and falls from his chair onto the floor.

According to police, the calm gunman walked out of the restaurant and climbed onto the back of a waiting motorbike outside to make his escape.

Incredibly, Mr Van Der Hart was not killed in the shooting but is fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit of Santo Tomas Hospital, according to local media.

Police in Panama have confirmed they have not made any arrests.

Officers said the horrific shooting mirrors a similar incident on December 27, when another Dutchman was murdered in the same neighbourhood. On that occasion, the victim, identified as Halid Jaffats, was shot when he was going into a nightclub.

The 35-year old victim Jacob Van Der Hart was sat across the table from Colombian Humberto Antonio Acosta (left) when the gunmen entered and took aim

The suspected hired killer pulls the trigger and a brief flash is seen moments before Mr Van Der Hart tumbles form the chair

The victim falls from his chair and crashes to the floor before the gunman climbed on a motorbike waiting outside and escaped, according to police