Sydney shooting 'targeted attack': police

The victim of a western Sydney shooting is undergoing surgery after a bullet struck his lungs during a targeted attack.

Police say 24-year-old Zia Kryo was walking from a car to the front door of his Prairiewood home when he was shot in the back late on Thursday night.

Mr Kryo, who is known to police, managed to call emergency services while his mother rushed out from the home to help.

Superintendent Peter Lennon has appealed to the public for information, which he says remains scarce.

"So far I would say we are having very limited information coming forward from this victim and his associates," he told reporters in Fairfield this morning.

"It was not random, it was targeted so we need to be going through what he's recently been involved in."

While detectives believe the crime is gang-related, the victim is not understood to be in a gang, Supt Lennon said.

It's believed the gunman was on foot when three shots were fired towards the victim in Nugent Place, a dead-end street, leading detectives to canvass surrounding streets in case neighbours heard the attacker escape in a getaway car.

The shooter, who is described as being male and in a hooded jacket, remains on the run.

Police said the shooting has been classed as attempted murder.