Craigieburn drive-by shooting linked to Melbourne’s tobacco war

A man killed in a brazen drive-by shooting may be linked to the suspects responsible for bombing several tobacco shops in Melbourne.

A man, 27, was shot dead in a bullet-riddled Mercedes luxury SUV while another man, 28, was seriously injured at Craigieburn Central Shopping Center at around 3pm on Saturday.

Four hooded gunmen remain on the run after targeting the couple as they sat in their car on Windrock Avenue.

The slain man is said to be associated with the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang Herald Sun reported.

Police are investigating whether a battle for control of Melbourne's lucrative tobacco trade is linked to the city's latest gangland execution on Saturday afternoon.  The photo shows a scene from the aftermath of the shooting

Police are investigating whether a battle for control of Melbourne’s lucrative tobacco trade is linked to the city’s latest gangland execution on Saturday afternoon. The photo shows a scene from the aftermath of the shooting

The shooting was the third brazen public killing in Melbourne in the past two months, all of which are suspected to be linked to the city’s crime gangs.

The 27-year-old victim is said to be related to a known attacker who is aligned with the Comancheros.

The perpetrator is said to have been at war with another organized crime syndicate with the conflict resulting in arson attacks at businesses such as tobacco shops.

Footage from Saturday’s shooting showed a white Mercedes GLC250 SUV riddled with multiple bullet holes.

The passenger window was blown out by nine gunshots, with at least three more visible bullet marks hitting the windshield.

Four more bullets were fired through the rear window, with a fifth fired into the luxury car’s rear door.

Emergency workers rushed to the mall and fought to save one man, but he died at the scene, while the other man was taken to hospital in serious condition.

One victim could be seen being treated on the ground near the driver’s door of the vehicle, partially hidden by screens set up by police as paramedics worked on him.

The attack shocked witnesses, who fled for safety, and quickly drew distraught relatives of the victims to the scene.

A distraught man had to be restrained from trying to reach the scene as horrified bystanders looked on, while an elderly man broke down in tears and wailed in grief.

The alleged attackers approached the car on foot before fleeing in a luxury SUV, with police investigating whether a black Range Rover Sport found burnt out in Broad St, Westmeadows is linked to the attack.

A second burnt-out car was found around 5.30pm down an embankment near Merri Creek in Reservoir.

A man was shot dead in a bullet-riddled luxury SUV (pictured) while another was seriously injured at Craigieburn Central shopping center at around 3pm on Saturday.

A man was shot dead in a bullet-riddled luxury SUV (pictured) while another was seriously injured at Craigieburn Central shopping center at around 3pm on Saturday.

Veronica Estimova, who works at Elevate 24:7 Fitness just meters from where the shooting happened, said she heard ‘loud booms’.

“It was very scary, we didn’t know what was happening,” said Mrs. Estimova.

“A group of people ran into the gym and said there had been a drive-by shooting, they said they saw a young man lying on the ground…

“It’s very disturbing, you don’t expect something like this to happen in the middle of the day.”

Victoria Police are understood to be investigating whether the latest killing is linked to the drive-by shooting at Excelsior Heights in Craigieburn on September 14.

A couple in their 50s, who were said not to be the intended targets, were asleep inside the home at the time and were not injured.

About 15 bullets were fired through the front window of the property.

The shooting followed just days after the execution of bikie boss Gavin ‘Capable’ Preston, who was hit by bullets while having breakfast with his ex-husband Nabil ‘Mad Lebo’ Maghnie’s son in Keilor, north-west of Melbourne.

Abbas Maghnie Jr, known as AJ, was shot in the stomach while running from Preston’s executioner in a cafe on September 8, but managed to survive.

The masked killer and his getaway driver were said to have parked in front of the scene for three hours before the deadly ambush.

Preston, 50, was hit by 10 bullets during the shooting at Sweet Lulus Cafe.

A chilling 40-second video of the killing showed a man in a black hoodie running towards the cafe’s outdoor seating area and shooting at Preston.

Terrified residents threw themselves to the ground and covered their faces as the notorious criminal took his seat and fell to the ground beside his table.

As the gunman left, two women checked each other for injuries before grabbing their bags and fleeing the cafe.

Two men then cautiously approached Preston, who was motionless next to the table where he had only seconds before eaten breakfast.

Preston’s distraught fiancee Lauran Howe had to be restrained by officers after she arrived at the cafe after the shooting.

The gunman is seen approaching the table

Gavin 'Capable' Presto then falls to the ground

The 40-second clip shows a man in black running towards the cafe’s outdoor seating area and firing a barrage of bullets at Preston.

“He’s my husband,” she was heard shouting as she struggled to get through the police tape surrounding the stage for the audience.

Ms Howe eventually had to be led away by officers with another man, also known to Preston, also pinned to the ground by officers.

It is believed that the suspected perpetrators left the scene in a black Audi Q5. Two burned-out cars were found after the shooting, including one just 500 meters from the scene.

The luxury SUV was found abandoned in nearby Blair Court before the gunmen fled in a second car.

Underworld figure Gavin 'Capable' Preston was shot dead at Sweet Lulus Cafe in Keilor Village in Melbourne's north-west in September.

Underworld figure Gavin ‘Capable’ Preston was shot dead at Sweet Lulus Cafe in Keilor Village in Melbourne’s north-west in September.

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