Police are investigating a mass brawl that turned violent with gunfire in Chester Hill, with officers forced to pursue a vehicle carrying two shooting victims after all participants fled the scene.
Cumberland Police Area Command attended Boundary Road in Chester Hill just after 10.30pm on Thursday 12 March following reports of a large-scale fight. Officers were told approximately 15 people were engaged in the brawl before two people were shot. By the time police arrived, everyone had already left the scene.
Moments later, officers patrolling Ferndell Street in nearby Guildford observed a black sedan being driven in what they considered a dangerous manner. When the vehicle failed to stop as directed, police initiated a pursuit. The sedan came to a halt shortly afterwards, and when officers approached to speak with the occupants, they discovered two men suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
A 27-year-old man and a 24-year-old man were both treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics and transported to hospital. Both were in stable condition when transferred. The driver of the sedan, also a man, was interviewed by police at the scene and subsequently released pending further inquiries.
The incident raises immediate questions about the link between the initial brawl and the shooting, and whether the two injured men were participants in the fight or became victims during the chaos. The decision to release the driver without charge suggests police do not yet view him as responsible for the shooting, though their inquiries are continuing.
The timing and location of this incident reflects growing concerns about violence in western Sydney suburbs. Police have not yet released details about potential motives, the relationship between those involved, or whether there may be gang-related connections to the brawl.
The investigation remains ongoing, with NSW Police's dedicated gun crime operations now examining the circumstances of the shooting.