An innocent restaurant worker and two men have been seriously injured in a “shockingly brazen” shooting outside a kebab shop during Monday’s lunchtime rush, with police suspecting the incident is gang-related.

Samimjan Azari — who survived an attempt on his life only last month — was hit in the arm and shoulder when two masked gunmen arrived at M Brothers in Auburn, Sydney, and fired eight shots about 1.10pm on Monday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Three people including innocent woman shot at Auburn restaurant.

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Another man, reportedly Azari’s friend, was shot in the face and is “in a bad way”, while a 50-year-old woman who works at the restaurant suffered two gunshot wounds to the torso.

“A woman has been caught up in this event, an innocent victim doing her job,” Police Minister Yasmin Catley said.

“When innocent people get caught up in this it is absolutely abhorrent and we will not tolerate it.”

All three victims were taken to hospital in a serious condition, and police have spoken to the woman.

‘Beyond comprehension’

The shooters fled in a black Audi Q7 with cloned plates, not a BMW as police first thought, when they could not get into an office at the back of the building, police said.

A manhunt is underway to find those responsible, and NSW Police acting Commissioner Peter Thurtell said “we are throwing all our possible resources” at the investigation.

“It’s beyond comprehension that three people be shot in a crowded Sydney street in broad daylight,” Thurtell said.

Police believe Azari was the intended target of a deadly shooting in Granville just last month when he was in the back of a ute, but escaped unhurt.

Two others in the front of the car were hit, with one dying in hospital a few days later.

Police said there have been another attempts on Azari’s life and that today’s shooting “is likely to be connected”.

“He’s had two previous attempts on his life so I’ve got no doubt that he did expect it,” Thurtell said.

“We spoke to him as recently as Friday where he expressed concern about the previous attempts on his life so the fact that he was out again in public, I don’t know what that says about what he’s thinking.”

Pictures from 7NEWS on Monday showed emergency services holding up sheets as one of the injured was carefully placed in the back of ambulances.

“All you could hear was a loud bang. There’s was some commotion, some arguing — that’s all you could hear,” one witness said.

“I still can’t believe it. I’m still shocked.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the shooting was “shockingly brazen” and police are “hunting down those responsible”.

“We don’t stand for it and NSW Police doesn’t stand for it,” the Premier said.

“People committing this kind of violence can expect to be arrested, charged, and to spend years inside small jail cells.”

The investigation has been referred to Taskforce Falcon, which was set up to look into violent crime in Sydney.

Members of the public have been urged to avoid the area.