Source: The Daily Telegraph
TEN people were shot in NSW in the past 11 days, one of the worst spikes in gun crime.
The latest victim was a 52-year-old man shot as he was leaving Aarows, a gay, bisexual and swingers club at Rydalmere, in Sydney's west, about 1am on Wednesday.
He was shot in the back, legs and groin and is in a stable condition in hospital.
It brings the number of shootings in the state this year to 40, with most carried out in Sydney's south-west.
Police said they were appalled at the number of people shot, but maintained most of the incidents were unrelated.
"Each and every one of these shootings has been investigated and we are certain most are isolated incidents and not related," Detective Chief Superintendent Mal Lanyon, head of the Organised Crime Directorate, said.
Unlike gang shootings, the unrelated nature of the recent incidents meant they were not expected to lead to any further revenge shootings.
"Normally when there are a group of shootings there is a risk of retaliatory action. The vast majority of these shootings are not gang-related, reducing the chances of further connected shootings."
But police conceded two shootings were possibly linked.
On April 22, two men arrived at Fairfield Hospital with gunshot wounds.
Days later four men were shot outside a house at Wetherell Park. It is understood the shooting relates to two ethnic-based gangs in the area.
Police Minister Michael Gallacher said police operations had halved the number of shootings from April 2012 for the same month this year in Sydney's south-west.
Last April there were 34 shootings, sparking the formation of Operation Spartan to target south-west shootings.
The total number of shootings for April 2013 stands at 17, half the 2012 April figure.
But shootings from late 2012 to early 2013 resulted in eight deaths since October. Police said nearly all those shootings were gang-related.
subsequent police operation - Operation Apollo was established in February to target gun crime using a combination of specialist squads and community consultation.
Chief Superintendent Lanyon said since its inception Apollo had seized 66 firearms, arrested 203 people and laid more than 400 charges.
State Opposition leader John Robertson said the 222 shootings since the O'Farrell government came to power showed police needed more resources. "Criminals are treating our suburban streets like shooting galleries," he said yesterday.
"Our police are doing the best job they can, but they aren't being given the resources they need."
But the government said it was winning the war on guns.
"The number of shootings has fallen by more than 50 per cent compared to April 2012," said Mr Gallacher. "Police are getting results."
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