Ex-Comancheros boss gunned down outside a Fitness First was a ringleader in a chilling brawl INSIDE Sydney Airport - screaming 'you're a dead man' as a rival Hells Angel bikie was beaten to death
- Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi, 37, was gunned down outside Fitness First Rockdale
- Hawi was at the centre of a 'wild' brawl at Sydney Airport where a man died
- Anthony Zervas was beaten to death with a bollard in shocking 2009 scenes
- 'You're a dead man, you're f***ing dead,' Hawi screamed at the rival Hells Angels
- Hawi pleaded guilty to Zervas's manslaughter and was freed from jail recently
Getting shot in the face outside a Sydney gym on Thursday afternoon was just another bloody chapter in the life of ex-bikie boss Mahmoud 'Mick' Hawi.
A masked gunman opened fire on the former Comancheros president, 37, at Fitness First Rockdale, in the city's south, about 12.10pm on Thursday.
Paramedics and police tried to save the father-of-two as the suspected gunman leapt into a getaway car.
Hawi died hours after being taken to hospital in a critical condition where he was reportedly 'brain dead'.
The Lebanese migrant was freed from jail about two years ago for his role in a fatal brawl between the Comancheros and rival gang the Hells Angels at Sydney Airport.
Former Comancheros boss Mick Hawi, with wife Caroline Gonzales, in a social media photo. The pair have been married since 1995 and have two sons
Hawi, left and right, pleaded guilty to manslaughter over his role in a fatal brawl at the airport
A shot of Sydney Airport following the violent fracas in the terminal in 2009
Authorities screened off parts of the airport from onlookers following the stunning brawl
The melee was described in court as an 'explosion of violence' - featuring a flurry of punches and stabbings - and ended with Anthony Zervas, the brother of a Hells Angels gang members, being knifed in the chest and bludgeoned to death with a 17kg steel bollard.
'You're a dead man, you're f***ing dead,' witnesses recalled underworld figure Hawi screaming at the rival group.
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'Next time we see you, you're going to have bullet holes through you. You are a dead man walking'.
Shocked passengers watched as the deadly 'all in brawl' unfolded in front of them. The incident, which sparked international headlines, led to a nationwide crackdown on bikie activities.
Hawi was running a car detailing company when he was taken into custody. He had been president of the Comancheros since 2002 but was replaced after going into police custody.
Forensics (in white) inspected the former Comanchero boss's bullet-riddled Mercedes SUV
New South Wales police cordoned off the crime scene in the Fitness First car park
Hawi stepped out of his Mercedes SUV - and was killed in a hail of bullets
A jury originally found him guilty of murder and affray and he was sentenced to close to two decades behind bars, eligible for parole in 2030. But the conviction was overturned on appeal.
Hawi later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to about three-and-a-half years' jail time.
Justice Clifton Hoeben found Hawi had been part of the 'ferocious' fighting throughout the terminal but had not played a role in the deadly assault on Zervas, 29.
Relatives claimed he was a 'changed person' after his initial stint in jail. He volunteered with a funeral company. His wife told the court in an affidavit that he 'want(ed) nothing more to do with the Comancheros.
The judge found Hawi's prospects for rehabilitation were 'good' and prison authorities described him as pleasant and polite behind bars.
Daily Mail Australia understands he was freed in early 2016. He has two sons aged in their primary school years.
Hawi had kept a low profile since his release - that is, until he opened the door of his luxury Mercedes SUV in the gym car park today and critically injured by a hail of bullets.
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