Nurse injured while treating patient during suspected gang-related shooting

Police are searching for two men believed to be responsible for a drive-by shooting in Sydney's west last night that injured a nurse at a nearby hospital.

The two suspects were seen getting out of a car near the driveway of a townhouse on Auburn Road in Auburn and firing a number of rounds into the front of the building around 8pm yesterday.

Police arrived to find several bullet holes through the front of the home however none of the residents inside at the time were injured.

A nurse at Auburn Hospital was injured during the incident when a stray bullet penetrated through a rear window of the hospital while she was treating a patient.

The bullet caused glass to shatter around the patient, forcing her backward into a shelf and causing minor injuries to her leg.

NSW Police believe the incident is connected to an ongoing string of gang-related crimes across Sydney.

"The incident last night is a continuation of the increased violence in the criminal networks involved in the illicit drug trade," Deputy Commissioner David Hudson said.

Police said the onset of the pandemic has seen as escalation in drug and gang-related crime.

"International borders were closed, state borders were closed, their money-laundering opportunities were excluded and we saw different transport networks interrupted as well," Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.

"This has caused an infringement on what has historically been different groups' territories and seen an escalation in violence to protect those territories and increase their criminal networks."

There have been more than 70 shootings in the last 12 months since the escalation of gang-related crime around Sydney.

"Behaviour such as last night will not be tolerated by police," Deputy Commissioner Hudson said.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian expressed her condolences for the nurse involved.

"I was extremely upset when I heard about it, just somebody going about their business and I wish her really well," Ms Berejikilian said today.

"I think the police are doing a great job in getting on top of it and I have discussed the matter with the police commissioner and they're putting in all their resources to getting on top of it."

Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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