NSW:Innocent person will die soon: NSW police

AAP General News (Australia)
08-30-2011
NSW:Innocent person will die soon: NSW police

SYDNEY, Aug 30 AAP - Senior police are warning it won't be long until an innocent life
is lost, after a family narrowly escaped injury when a gunfight rocked their quiet suburban
street.

It was the ninth shooting in Sydney's west in less than a fortnight.

A mother, father and two children aged nine and 11 were inside their home when the
incident took place on Monday night.

Two stray bullets from a nearby gun battle thudded into the front of their Greenacre home.

"We have concerns that if anything like this continues or we get more incidents of
a similar nature, it might not be a case of if something happens to an innocent party
but when," Bankstown police commander Chief Superintendent Peter Gillam told reporters
on Tuesday.

Police believe the occupants of two cars wildly sprayed up to 12 bullets at each other
at or near the intersection of Hillcrest Avenue and Mimosa Road before 10pm (AEST).

Suspects or a motive for the gun battle are yet to be established.

The investigation could end up being grouped with a strike force established into eight
other shootings in western Sydney since August 19.

A Toyota Rav 4 believed to have been used in Monday night's incident is among the best
leads that police have.

It was found torched in nearby Wiley Park not long after the shooting and matched a
description of a vehicle used in the incident.

Supt Gillam could not say where the family of four was when the bullets hit their home
but said they were aware something had happened.

"I can make a pretty strong assumption ... if it happened to anyone's house here you'd
feel a little concerned in respect to your safety," he added.

"But I can say this `we're putting a lot of resources into this investigation to get
an early conclusion hopefully'."

Neighbours spoken to as part of the investigation into Monday night's shooting were
being co-operative, Supt Gillam said.

The family whose home was hit were entirely innocent bystanders, he added.

Neighbours raised the alarm via a triple zero call on Monday night after hearing gunshots.

AAP mdg/tr/dep/jlw

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