Deadly shooting at busy city club
POLICE have vowed to throw all their resources into catching the drive-by shooters who opened fire outside a Prahran nightclub.
Investigators continue to probe the Love Machine shooting, which claimed one life and injured three others.
The dead man was a security guard, aged 37, and two others were also security and one a patron.
Police say a Porsche fourwheel drive is a key clue and was seen driving down Bray St.
Reports say the car was later found burnt out.
Det Insp Andrew Stamper said there were many unanswered questions but bikies and organised crime gangs would form part of the investigation.
“I want to reassure the community straight up that the full resources of the crime department are actively investigating this matter at the moment and no stone will left unturned in terms of finding the people who carried out this act,” he said.
“This is a horrendous act. A busy nightclub, one of the main nightclubs in one of the main entertainment precincts of Melbourne.”
There have been no arrests and no motive has been established.
An increased police presence remained in the area yesterday.
A 28-year-old man remains in a critical condition at the Alfred Hospital.
Two other men, aged 50 and 29, are understood to also be in hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Resident Daniel witnessed the aftermath after being woken by what he said were at least three gunshots.
“Everyone took so long to get here and then all hell broke loose,” he said.
“I thought originally they had someone pinned down and on the ground but then some dude was bouncing around more than anyone else.”
He saw police had someone in handcuffs and up against the wall.
He said despite the shooting, the club continued to operate with music blaring.
“I expected to see a flood of people but there wasn’t,” he said. “Once police arrived at the scene they were yelling, ‘Get out of the way, get out of the way, move back’.”
Premier Daniel Andrews described the shooting as a “tragedy”.
“Let’s be clear: this is a very nasty incident,” he said.
“Our thoughts are obviously with the family of the person who has passed away.
“Shootings like this do rock the city.”
THIS IS A HORRENDOUS ACT. A BUSY NIGHTCLUB, ... IN ONE OF THE MAIN ENTERTAINMENT PRECINCTS OF MELBOURNE DET INSP ANDREW STAMPER