Twenty-year-old Imran Athar Khan was shot a number of times in the legs at the southern end of Thurina Park in Villawood on Wednesday night.

As the bullets rang out at 6.15pm, groups of children at soccer training nearby fled and sought cover in a sports canteen.

CCTV from a house on Lowana Street captured a man running away from the park moments after Mr Khan was shot and a dark coloured sedan driving away from the scene.

Mr Khan was rushed to Liverpool Hospital but despite his injuries, he refused to co-operate with police.

He was in a stable condition on Thursday.

Investigators don't believe Mr Khan was involved in the sports practice at the park on Wednesday night but are yet to figure out why he was there at all.

"After speaking to the victim we are unsure what he was doing in the area at the time," Bankstown Local Area Command Inspector David Firth.

"But we are continuing to speak with him to ascertain that information."

Asked if police believed Mr Khan's attackers intended to kill him, Inspector Firth said: "If anyone is going to discharge a firearm at another person at fairly close range I am pretty sure their intentions are clear".

The Villawood man has been on the police radar before. He is due to face court later this month after allegedly refusing to tell police who was in a car that was involved in an offence earlier this year.

As Mr Khan recovered in hospital on Thursday, his mother claimed her son didn't know who attacked him.

"All I know is that street whenever I drive past there's a bunch of boys standing in the park," she said through the door of her home.

"Last night I drove down to see what happened and we saw the cops there and they said you can't go through.

"I can't say anything cause I don't know what happened."

The woman, who didn't give her name, said she went to the hospital but wasn't allowed to see her son because he was "under protection".

"Every mother will say that he's a good kid but I know he's good."

Bankstown MP Tania Mihailuk visited the scene on Thursday after requesting police organise counselling for the children and parents who witnessed the shooting.

"About 100 kids were in this park last night," she said.

"Under 6s, under 9s, about five soccer teams in total and they are traumatised.

"We have had feedback from many of the parents that were here last night that their children were absolutely petrified.

"They were running everywhere."

Police are looking for a man in his 20's of Middle Eastern appearance, about 175-180 centimetres tall who was wearing dark clothing.

The getaway car was described as a dark station wagon.

Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.