Police at the scene of a shooting in Craigieburn on Saturday.Credit:Luis Ascui
Preston had also attempted to muscle in on the lucrative extortion racket being waged against Melbourne’s tobacco retailers that has involved more than a dozen firebombings since rival organised crime gangs began fighting over the tobacco trade earlier this year.
A large police presence guarded the Craigieburn crime scene as detectives began to organise their investigation nearby late on Saturday afternoon. Forensic officers began photographing and combing the scene in the evening.
A group of people,including some crying in distress,remained huddled around the centre of the crime scene hours after dark on Saturday night. Some within the grieving group had to be restrained at times as they clashed with police while trying to get closer to the bullet-riddled car and a white sheet covering a figure on the ground beside it.
Loading
Critical incident response team officers surrounded the emotional crowd inside the police tape. Shopping centre security tried to move on onlookers who were not family or friends of the shooting victims in the evening.
SES crews helped set up a significant crime scene that remained busy until late on Saturday.
One witness,who did not want to be identified,toldThe Age they saw a group of several men wearing balaclavas jump out of a car before gunshots rang out.
“They all got out of the car and I heard gunshots,” they said. “They were all wearing balaclavas.
“[The gunshots] stopped and they sped off. I had to swerve so my car didn’t get hit.”
People talking to police at the scene of the shooting.Credit:Luis Ascui
The witness said they saw blood on the neck of the seriously injured victim who was taken to hospital. The incident had left them traumatised and upset,they said.
“I was just coming back from early voting and noticed a large crowd and cops and what seemed like bullet holes on a car’s window,” said another witness who did not want to be named. “They were asking us to move away and were closing off the area.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or with dashcam vision is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online atwww.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
With Sherryn Groch
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories,analysis and insights. Sign up here.