The man shot dead outside an inner-city pub in an apparent act of gang violence has been pictured for the first time.
Gilbert Shino, 39, was gunned down in a hail of bullets on Sunday night at The Harold hotel in Forest Lodge.
He died at the scene, while his friend, 31-year-old Maradona Yalda, was also shot but survived.
Daily Mail can exclusively reveal he was a parent of three children together with his wife Natasha Avakian, who shared an emotional tribute to her slain partner last night.
‘How am I going to live without you? You were my life,’ she posted to Instagram.
It is understood the couple has been together many years. Daily Mail has reached out to Ms Avakian for for comment.
A separate post revealed his family would be accepting condolences at St Mary’s Assyrian Church Of the East in Smithfield on Tuesday evening.
It is understood that Mr Shino and Ms Avakian have two daughters and a son, who died last year. He lived in Middleton Grange, west of Sydney – a 45 minute drive from the Harold pub.
Up to 15 gunshots rang out at watering hole at Forest Lodge, in the city’s inner-west, about 6.35pm on Sunday.
Two men were shot multiple times before the gunmen fled the scene.
Mr Yalda, 31, was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, which has been downgraded to stable.
Mr Shino died at the scene, despite the efforts of paramedics and an off-duty doctor.
It is understood Mr Shino worked at Capital Smash Repairs, and grew up in Western Sydney. According to his Facebook profile, he attended St John’s Park High School in Greenfield Park.
A neighbour on Monday told Daily Mail that Mr Shino was extremely friendly and would always say hello, while his partner was more reserved.
The neighbour said he had seen police had visiting the couple’s home, but that no one answered the door.
He added that their blue Mazda hatchback was missing from the driveway.
Police are investigating whether a torched Ford Mustang, found in Rydalmere at 9.50pm on Monday night, is linked to the shooting – though no connections have been made at this stage.
Police sources told the Daily Telegraph that Mr Yalda flew back into four days ago, despite knowing there was a contract on his head.
Mr Yalda is understood to have links with an Assyrian street gang called DLASTHR, along with former Comanchero bikie Andre Kallita, who has since left the club.
There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Mr Yalda.
The gunman behind the ‘outrageous, brazen, callous attack’ remains on the run on Tuesday. No arrests have been made.
Police are investigating a number of motives, including whether the shooting is related to an internal dispute among Assyrian gang members.
They’re also looking at potential links to a recent firebombing in Sydney’s west.
Police also revealed that Mr Yalda and his friend had just left the pub when they were ambushed.
‘They were making their way to the car, which was parked about 100m up the road,’ Leichhardt Superintendent Alf Sergi told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Monday.
‘As they got closer to the vehicle, they appear to have been ambushed. Shots fired.
‘The 39-year-old male, he suffered gunshot wounds and fell to the ground.
‘Police were nearby… they treated the man with the help of a doctor that was a resident nearby, and also paramedics, but unfortunately he succumbed to his wounds.’
Mr Yalda was chased by the gunman before shots were fired.
A man standing near Mr Shino could be heard on the phone shouting, ‘he’s my best friend’.
The gastropub was packed with patrons enjoying dinner at the time.
Staff locked the entrance as people sheltered under tables while dozens of shots were fired outside.
A car parked outside the venue, which opened in 1880, on Ross Street was hit by several bullets.
Innocent patrons and staff almost got caught up in the terrifying ordeal.
‘A bullet did hit a window and narrowly missed a female staff member… it’s a narrow street there, and also the pub nearby, obviously the bullets were flying in that direction. It would have been very, very frightening for them,’ Superintendent Sergi said.
‘We believe it’s a targeted attack, yes, based on one of the victim’s backgrounds with possible links to organised criminal networks.’
Police haven’t ruled out more than one gunman being involved.
‘At this stage it is not clear, so we’re working on the principle that’s this stage one gunman, but there’s possibly more,’ Superintendent Sergi said.
‘We’re looking for a vehicle, a dark-coloured vehicle… we’re really looking forward to the public giving us information, especially dashcam, to help put the pieces of the puzzle together.’
Local residents were reportedly told to stay inside their homes and wait for police to take statements.
The crime scene remained cordoned off on Monday.
State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad is assisting detectives with the investigation.
It is the 13th public shooting – and the fourth fatal attack across Sydney in the last eight months.
Not all victims have had underworld links – plumber John Versace was executed in his driveway in Condell Park in a case of mistaken identity.
Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers.