Police to examine possible link between burnt-out sports car and fatal Sydney shooting

Police are investigating whether a burnt-out sports car found in north-west Sydney overnight has possible links to a fatal inner-city pub shooting. 

It comes after a man died and another was seriously injured outside The Harold hotel in Forest Lodge on Sunday night.

Police said they were called to Rydalmere about 9:50pm on Monday, following reports of a vehicle fire.

The dark-coloured Mustang was extinguished by Fire and Rescue NSW and there were no reports of injuries.

Officers are investigating the fire, which is being treated as suspicious, while police continue to hunt for the gunman responsible for Sunday’s shooting. 

The victims were alleged to have been making their way to their car after watching the UFC at the venue on Ross Street in Forest Lodge, but as they got closer to their vehicle, they were ambushed and met with a spray of bullets just after 6:30pm.

Maradona Yalda, 31, was seriously injured in the shooting, while his friend Gilbert Shino, 39, died from multiple gunshot wounds at the scene of the incident.

The ABC understands the survivor was the intended target who allegedly had links to an Assyrian organised crime group known as “The Last Hour” and had recently been told there was a contract on his head.

Police believe it was a targeted shooting with at least one gunman, but have not ruled out a second.

Link to be examined, police say

One shot narrowly missed a female staff member on Sunday, hitting the window of the pub. The worker told police the bullet “whizzed” past her.

Superintendent Alf Sergi said the shots were fired at Mr Shino at a relatively close range.

Paramedics treated the two men at the scene, but Mr Shino was unable to be saved. The 39-year-old was also assisted by a local doctor who was nearby.

Police said Mr Yalda was treated for gunshot wounds by first responders, as well as medical students who were inside the pub before being taken to hospital in a serious condition.

The attacker fled the scene in a dark blue Mustang, according to police, as a car matching that description was set alight the next night. 

In a statement, NSW Police said any “links to recent incidents will be examined” as part of its investigation, “though none have been confirmed at this stage”.