Police are searching for a man who fired a shot into a crowded Indian restaurant in Sydney’s west on Tuesday.

A single shot was fired into the front window of an Indian restaurant on Wigram Street at Harris Park, shortly before 9:00pm on Tuesday.

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Up to 40 people were in the restaurant at the time, but nobody was injured.

Inspector Adam Phillips said the bullet was blocked by a metal shelf.

“The frightening thing with this is that the shot that was fired … was in a particular part of the restaurant which was extremely busy,” he said.

Police have called on the public for assistance in identifying the shooter.

Inspector Phillips said the alleged gunman knocked a woman to the ground as he fled along Wigram Street.

“[The offender] has gone around the corner of the street and this lady has been walking the opposite way,” he said.

“He collided with this lady and we believe this lady … should be able to give us a visual description of the offender.”

One local resident said there was a similar incident nearby just a few months ago — though no-one was hurt then, either.

“There was someone shot across the road — or there was a shot across the road — a couple of months ago,” he said.

“Why are there shootings? Why have people got guns and [are] shooting? It’s unnecessary. It’s ridiculous.”

Inquiries into the incident are continuing.