Bilal Hamze, member of Sydney gang, ‘Brothers 4 Life’, was executed by multiple gunshots in a rival gang attack.
Gunned down in the middle of Sydney’s CBD, police described the attack on Bilal Hamze as a “brutal, execution-style murder” that is assumed to be the result of mounting tensions between rival families.
Gangster Bilal Hamze, 34, met his fate around 10:25 pm on Thursday, when a black vehicle drove by and released gunfire on the busy Sydney street.
Fortunately, no other members of the public were harmed during the attack.
A resident mentioned that she heard between three to five gunshots whilst reading in bed, mentioning a deafening silence of no cars a minute or two after shots were fired.
Before the shooting, Hamze was warned that his life was in danger. However, he died soon after arriving at St Vincent’s Hospital.
Police have stated that they expect to make several arrests following this murder, offering a stern warning to those involved:
“We will be opening doors, kicking down doors, tipping people over. We will talk to them, we will harass them within the bounds of the law to make sure that they know that we are there.”
#BREAKING: A man has been gunned down in a suspected gangland execution in the heart of Sydney’s CBD. #9Today pic.twitter.com/Om4WYL9HaP
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) June 17, 2021
Police mentioned a possible connection between the murder and Operation Ironside, but did not provide any additional information on the matter.
Operation Ironside is a long-term investigation to smash “criminal networks” involved in large drug imports, drug manufacturing and intent to murder.
The AFP and the FBI work in conjunction to trick criminals into using a compromised app before taking further action.
This is not the first attack on a member of the Hamze family. In 2013, Bilal’s mother, Maha, found herself the victim of attempted murder, surviving the ordeal after taking eight bullet wounds to her legs.
The attack resulted due to a $20,000 debt dispute between her son and another man.
Footage of police examining the crime scene can be viewed below:
Underworld Killing: Gangland boss Bilal Hamze has been killed in a drive-by shooting in the CBD, sparking concerns of reprisal attacks.
Hamze, cousin of Brothers 4 Life leader Bassam Hamzy, was found at the intersection of Bridge St and Pitt St overnight in a critical condition. pic.twitter.com/PM1g0PUXTZ
— 10 News First Sydney (@10NewsFirstSyd) June 17, 2021
Bilal Hamze is the cousin of ‘Brothers 4 Life’ founder and Australia’s most notorious gangsters, Bassam Hamzy. Hamzy is currently serving a life sentence for a 1998 murder in one of Sydney’s nightclubs.
Bilal Hamze’s death marks the third death within the family, following Bassam’s brother, Mejid and cousin Mahmoud.