Gangland boxer shot, police injured in night of violence across Sydney

A boxer with gangland connections is fighting for his life after being ambushed by gunmen and two police officers have been hospitalised in a series unrelated attacks across western Sydney.

On a night of violence, a masked gunman in a black ute fired into the passenger door and window of a white Mercedes sedan at Campbell Hill Road, Chester Hill, about 11.30pm.

The target, Humzah Khalid, was hit with gunfire, and his driver, Nasem Shamit, raced him from the scene.

Khalid was an international boxing champion who fought under the name The Raging Bull and served time in prison for his role in kidnappings in 2021. Police said the boxer was suspected to be linked to organised crime.

About five minutes after the initial call about the shooting, police were notified the 26-year-old had turned up at Auburn Hospital with severe gunshot wounds.

Officers arriving at the hospital discovered the Mercedes with several bullet holes parked outside.

A 58-year-old chief inspector, a four-decade veteran of the force, went inside fearing the critically injured Khalid could die or be rushed to surgery before providing information on his attackers.

The officer was confronted by Khalid’s driver, Shamit, who allegedly punched the officer multiple times in the head.

Bankstown Commander Rod Hart described it as an “unprovoked attack for reasons unknown”.

The senior officer, with a laceration to his head, and two security guards from the hospital were able to arrest Shamit.

Shamit has been charged with assaulting a police officer and will appear at Burwood Local Court on Thursday.

Earlier in evening, at 8.40pm in Greenacre, a riot squad sergeant leapt from his vehicle to arrest the driver of a stolen car.

The wanted man allegedly drove forward to ram the police vehicle and pinned the sergeant between the two vehicles.

The sergeant pulled his service pistol and fired three times into the car, Bankstown Commander Rod Hart told media on Thursday.

“The officer had grave fears for his life – he was pinned against a car, run over and fired shots which I believe saved his life,” Detective Superintendent Hart said.

“It was very, very, very dangerous – I believe if he did not fire his gun, he may have been critically injured or worse.”

The wanted man reversed his car and drove away, leaving the riot squad to give first aid to their injured colleague.

The officer, 39, was treated for lower leg injuries and taken to hospital in a stable condition.

Police tracked the driver to the backyard of a Ryde home one block from Victoria Road.

The 32-year-old was covered in blood after one police round struck him in the shoulder and a second hit his wrist.

He was two streets from the abandoned Toyota, which was found with three gunshots through its windscreen.

Paramedics treated him at the scene before he was taken to hospital in a stable condition. He will go into surgery on Thursday before being charged.

Hart said the driver was known to police, and investigations were still under way into why he allegedly stole the car, but it did not appear to be linked to organised crime.

Detectives continue to investigate both shootings on Thursday morning.

“Last night was a great example of the work police do every single day,” Hart said.

“Our lives are put at risk every single job we go to, but they stand up, they show up.”

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