NRL Matt Utai in critical condition after 'targeted' drive-by shooting
Emergency services treated Utai for multiple wounds to his chest and leg
The rugby league community is in shock following news that former NRL star Matt Utai is in a "critical condition" after a terrifying drive-by shooting.
The 44-year-old, who represented both New Zealand and Samoa during a distinguished career, was attacked outside his home in Greenacre, Sydney, at approximately 6am on Tuesday.
Emergency services arrived at the Macquarie Street scene to find the victim suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his lower leg, shoulder, and upper chest.
Superintendent Rodney Hart described the incident as a "brazen ambush" and confirmed that the attack was "definitely targeted."
Although New South Wales police officially maintain that they do "not identify victims of crime," Australian media outlets have confirmed Utai was the man taken to hospital.
Following emergency surgery, his status was updated to serious but stable. Investigators are now working to determine the motive, with Hart stating: "Whether the victim was the intended target or it was somebody that he knows or associates with or is related to will all form part of the investigation."
Shortly after the shooting, police found a burnt-out SUV nearby, which is believed to be the getaway vehicle used by the gunmen.
The car has been seized for forensic testing as detectives piece together the events of the morning. Utai, who retired from professional rugby in 2013, remains under close medical supervision.
For fans who remember his powerful runs on the pitch, the news of this violent "targeted" assault has been deeply distressing as the search for the perpetrators continues.