Man shot dead in Sydney in front of his son

SYDNEY: A man was shot dead inside his car in Sydney on Thursday with his son sitting next to him, the police force in the state of New South Wales (NSW) said in a statement.

Police suspected that it was a targeted attack by organised crime, reports Xinhua news agency.

Officers were informed of the shooting after 6.30 a.m. and were called to the scene in Sefton, in Sydney's west, according to the statement.

The 40-year-old man was found suffering from a gunshot wound and died on site despite efforts by paramedics.

During a press conference, NSW Police Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said that although the investigation is still continuing, some details have led the police to believe it was a "targeted organised crime murder".

"We can say it was targeted. However, we are keeping an open mind about the motive," Doherty noted, adding that there is no evidence to suggest any connections or link to other conflicts in the past.

The detective superintendent also told reporters that investigators were searching for at least two people they believed were responsible.

He described the attack as an "egregious, violent" act that would traumatise the victim's 12-year-old son.

According to his briefing, multiple shots were fired and the offenders had "little regard for human life", shooting the man in front of his son.

Investigations are seeking information from members of the public, while the police are appealing for footage of a Mazda 3 that was driven by the offenders and later found burnt out.