Mahmoud "Mick" Hawi was national president of the Comanchero motorcycle gang. Police said the shooter fled in a vehicle, which was last seen in Lindsay Street. A crime scene has been established. Commander of State Crime Command, Assistant Commissioner Mal Lanyon said shortly after the shooting police were called to Chandler Street, Rockdale where a grey Mercedes-Benz station wagon was involved in a vehicle fire. CCTV footage, shown on Seven News, showed two men dressed in black running in a nearby street from the scene of a burning car. Police are investigating if the vehicle was connected with the shooting.

Two men running from the scene of a burning car that could be linked to the shooting. Credit:SEVEN NEWS NSW Ambulance Superintendent Greg Price said Hawi was in cardiac arrest when paramedics arrived. "Four paramedic units were on scene within seven minutes," Superintendent Price said. Former Comanchero bikie boss Mick Hawi (right) arrives at court in 2015 on the manslaughter charge arising from the 2009 Sydney Airport brawl. Credit:Edwina Pickles "The patient was transported to hospital within six minutes from arrival on scene.

"The scene was very confronting for emergency service personnel. The paramedics performed their role to a high standard. Mick Hawi was ambushed as he sat in a four-wheel-drive. Credit:Peter Rae "I'd like to commend the paramedics and other emergency service personnel involved in this incident for their excellent work." 'Just pandemonium' Reshan Muthukrishna has operated a physiotherapy clinic out of the gym for the past four years, where Hawi has previously been treated for a shoulder injury.

The former bikie boss was shot in the face and taken to hospital in a serious condition. Credit:Peter Rae Mr Muthukrishna was seeing a patient inside the clinic when he heard "at least five" shots on Thursday. "Around 12pm we heard some big bangs, we thought it was some equipment being dropped. I stayed in the clinic and my colleague ran out, it was just chaos," he said. Police said the shooter fled in a vehicle, which was last seen in Lindsay Street. Credit:Peter Rae "Just pandemonium left, right and centre ... people on the scene were trying to help him, administer CPR."

Mr Muthukrishna said the shooting was "definitely not good for business" but "not unexpected or surprising ... [in] Rockdale," describing the Fitness First gym as a bit of a hub for gang members and bikies. According to a witness, Mick Hawi trained at the gym "once or twice a day". Credit:Peter Rae "Considering the history of this gym. There have been minor incidents with gangs and gang members training here," he said. "He trained here, Mick trained here, him and his crew. He was a regular here, he used to come once or twice a day."



Mr Muthukrishna described the incident as "tragic" and added that the gym would now be closed for a few days while it remained a crime scene.



"I've got staff who are traumatised, so it's definitely not good for business ... obviously it will affect the clientele; Fitness First clientele, my clientele, this place has even more of a reputation than before." Bludgeoned and stabbed

In November 2011, Hawi was found guilty of murdering bitter rival Zervas, 29, who was bludgeoned with a bollard and stabbed in the chest and abdomen in the domestic departure hall on March 22, 2009. But in 2014 the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal set aside the conviction and Hawi was subsequently allowed to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter. He was sentenced to a maximum of six years and two months, with a minimum non-parole period of three years and six months. He was released in 2015 to an address in regional NSW after the State Parole Authority granted his freedom subject to 22 conditions.