Shane Bowden shot dead in Pimpama: Mongols and Finks bikies ‘preparing for showdown’
The execution-style killing of notorious bikie Shane Bowden happened so quickly the lights of the BMW he was driving were still switched on when police arrived at the scene.
Gold Coast
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TWO men dressed in hoodies staked out a vacant block just metres from the Gold Coast home of notorious bikie Shane Bowden, before shooting him execution style.
They ambushed the BMW he had driven into the garage of his Pimpama unit at 12.10am on Monday and pumped a “significant” number of bullets into the gangland heavy. The murder was so fast the lights on the car were still on when police arrived.
A woman and two children were inside the Cox Rd unit.
Police were still searching for the gunmen last night.
They were believed to be from Queensland. The weapons have not been found.
The Bulletin understands police are investigating if the shooting was retribution as part of an internal feud within the Victorian-based Mongols motorcycle gang. However, underworld figures expected retribution over the slaying.
Bowden survived a drive-by shooting in Melbourne in July, shortly after being released from prison. Queensland police have been speaking with their Victorian counterparts about the incident.
Bowden had recently patched back to the Finks after being kicked out of the Mongols. He was part of the Finks “terror team” and responsible for shooting Christopher Hudson during the Gold Coast “Ballroom Blitz” brawl in 2006. Bowden, 48, made headlines again last month when charged by police for alleged COVID-19 breaches after ¬fleeing Melbourne.
A second crime scene was established on Monday beside the Pimpama Fire Rescue Station, only a short distance from the unit where Bowden was sprayed with bullets.
“From what we can see so far it would appear that perhaps that’s where they were waiting for the deceased to come home,” Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said. “He’s been out, went to the gym. I think he went and got food from a takeaway premise. When he’s come home he’s driven into his garage and that’s when he’s been attacked. He’s been executed, he hasn’t even got out of his vehicle and he’s been shot multiple times.”
Gold Coast gangland insiders said they expected retribution over Bowden’s death.
A former bikie said the Finks were not the same gang they were 10 years ago; they are a violent mob and more brazen than years past.
Another told the Bulletin they are trying to rebuild their footprint on both the Gold Coast and in Beenleigh, a strong breeding ground for bikies. But Supt Smith dismissed retribution concerns.
“It’s quite clear it doesn’t appear to be gang on gang or anything like that. It appears to be something to do with the deceased and his history and behaviour in recent weeks and months. As you are aware he’s been subject to other crimes of violence in other states and this could be a continuation of that, we don’t know. There is nothing to suggest there’s any risk to any member of the community. This is clearly a planned and targeted approach.
“The circumstances are still unclear and the motive is still unclear. Remembering the deceased had an interesting background and history ... it could be a number of things and all those things are currently being investigated. It’s important people understand these gangs are criminals. They don’t take fluffy toys to hospitals. These are criminal gangs that survive on retribution, violence and threats.”
Bowden had been at the gym and had stopped at McDonald’s before returning home. Neighbours recalled hearing between five and 12 shots in quick succession.
Police are also investigating any link between two cars found burnt out in Ormeau and Beenleigh. The Warwick Terraces complex at Cox St, Pimpama, where Bowden had been living, was heavily guarded on Monday.
Forensic officers and detectives spent the day scouting the scene.
A man, believed to be a friend of Bowden’s, visited and appeared agitated. He was speaking on the phone and later to police. As he left in a van he gestured the middle finger towards media.
Property records show the unit owner is Crystal Clement. She was sobbing near the unit, comforted by police.
A shocked resident said he heard the bangs, which he initially thought was a car backfiring, or fireworks.
“It was very loud,” he said. “Multiple shots. At the time I didn’t think gunshots ... (being) a suburban area you don’t think that. There was no loud car noises, but straight after it happened my partner heard a couple of men talking. But it wasn’t yelling, it was actually quite calm.
“Then it was quiet for 20 minutes, maybe less, and then all the cops were in and they all came in pretty quickly. It was probably 35-40 minutes later when they took the kids and the lady out the side door and took them away.
“They looked like they had been rushed out. I don’t think the kid was wearing shoes.”
He said the children and woman appeared shaken.
The neighbour said Clement had lived there for some time but he had only noticed Bowden in the past fortnight.
Streets at the Pimpama unit complex are fitted with security cameras. One camera sits less than 100m from where Bowden was shot.
The neighbour said: “It (the shooting) was obviously pretty precise and clean the way everything happened. There’s nothing on the outside of the house. There’s no external damage that I can see, so it must have been pretty well planned out from how it all happened.”
A section of a street within the unit complex remained cordoned off.
Resident Aidan McAllister said he was sitting on the couch and heard several shots. They sounded far away, so he thought nothing of it.
“Turns out it’s a couple of doors down. It’s a bit of a rude awakening in your own street. I’ve done a little bit of research online so I do know he was a bikie but it’s still an incredibly shocking thing and I feel sorry for his family.”
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Policelink or Crime-stoppers.
SHOOTERS WAITED FOR BOWDEN TO RETURN HOME
TWO men dressed in hoodies staked out a vacant block just metres from Shane Bowden’s Gold Coast house on Sunday night, waiting until he returned home from the gym.
They then ambushed the BMW he was driving in the garage and pumped a “significant” number of bullets in the execution-style killing.
It happened so quick the lights were still on the BMW car Bowden was driving when police arrived.
A second crime scene was established beside the Pimpama Fire Rescue Centre on Monday, only a short distance from the unit where Bowden was sprayed with bullets.
“From what we can see so far it would appear that perhaps that’s where they were waiting for the deceased to come home,” Detective Superintendent Brendan Smith said.
“He’s been out. Went to the gym, I think he went and got food from a takeaway premise.
“When he’s come home he’s driven into his garage and that’s when he’s been attacked.
“He’s been executed, he hasn’t even got out of his vehicle and he’s been shot multiple times.”
RESIDENTS HEARD ‘MULTIPLE SHOTS’ AS BOWDEN KILLED
A SHOCKED resident in a sleepy unit complex has recounted the moment gun shots were fired into a luxury BMW killing notorious bikie Shane Bowden.
The resident, who did not want to be named, said he and his wife heard the bangs, which they initially thought was a car backfiring, or fireworks.
“It was very loud. Multiple shots. At the time I didn’t think gunshots … (being) a suburban area you don’t think that,” the man said.
“I reckon four to five shots (were fired) in quick succession.
“There was no loud car noises, but straight after if happened my partner heard a couple of men talking. “But it wasn’t yelling, it was actually quite calm.
“And then it was quiet for about 20 minutes, maybe less and then basically all the cops were in there and they all came in pretty quickly. Then it was probably 35-40 minutes later where they take out the kids and the lady out the side door and took them away.
“They looked like they had been rushed out. I don’t think the kid was wearing shoes.”
He said the children and woman appeared to be shaken.
Property records show the unit is owned by Crystal Clement, who the Bulletin understands was upstairs at the time.
The neighbour said Clement had lived there for some time, but he had only recently noticed Bowden in the past fortnight.
Streets at the Pimpama unit complex are fitted with security cameras.
One camera sits less than 100m from where Bowden was shot.
The neighbour said: “It (the shooting) was obviously pretty precise and clean the way everything happened. There’s nothing on the outside of the house. There’s no external damage that I can see so it must have been pretty well planned out from how it all happened.”
A section of a street within the unit complex remains cordoned off and forensic police remain on scene.
EX PARTNER FEARS ‘HURRICANE COMING’ AFTER SHOOTING
SHANE Bowden’s devastated ex-partner of more than 30 years has pleaded with organised crime gangs to “stop the bikie wars”.
Trudi McPhee told the Gold Coast Bulletin she and Bowden had been together for more than three decades before his death but were “sorting a few things out” when he moved to Queensland from Victoria.
She warned there was a “hurricane coming” after Bowden’s killing and that bystanders could get hurt if retribution for his shooting began.
“Shane had his enemies, like everyone, but I believe the bikie wars need to stop,” Ms McPhee said.
“This is only going to escalate, people will get injured.
“The hurricane is coming. This is only the beginning.
“People need to think about their actions.”
Ms McPhee said she believed Bowden was shot in a cowardly way, saying the bullets hit him in the back.
She told the Gold Coast Bulletin she couldn’t comprehend what had happened to Bowden.
“It just feels like a bad dream and I wish I could wake up from it,” she said.
Ms McPhee said Bowden did things she “didn’t agree with” in his past but that he was a good person who was well respected by bikies from all different gangs.
FINKS TO ORGANISE BOWDEN FUNERAL
SLAIN bikie Shane Bowden had moved back to Queensland after surviving a drive-by shooting in Victoria with plans to live with a friend and fellow member of the Finks outlaw motorcycle club, a source close to the family told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
It is understood he moved in with family and there were children at the property at the time of the shooting.
He was shot in his car in the early hours of Sunday morning while the woman and Bowden’s young grandchildren slept upstairs.
It is understood the Finks bikie club will organise Bowden’s funeral, as is customary for members of an OMCG.
POLICE FEAR GANG WAR: ‘EXPECT BODIES ON THE STREET’
Senior police sources say the slaying of Shane Bowden could spark the return of gangland warfare to the Glitter Strip, saying Mongols and Finks Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs had been preparing for a showdown for months.
“Expect more bodies on the street,” one source said.
READ MORE
Shane Bowden’s former partner says executed bikie ‘had a very good heart’
Shane Bowden: Inside ex Mongol’s long gang career and role in 2006 Ballroom Blitz.
The moment bikie ballroom blitz broke out
About seven years ago, Finks members from around the country “patched over” to become Mongols bikies, but many defected and returned to the Finks.
The Gold Coast Bulletin understands Bowden recently returned to the Finks bikie gang, after being booted from the Mongols.
Bowden was shot dead in an execution-style slaying outside his Pimpama home on Sunday night.
Police believe the killing was carried out by locals linked to the Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang.
BOWDEN SHOT DEAD IN EXECUTION-STYLE SHOOTING
Notorious bikie Shane Bowden has been shot dead in an execution-style killing on the Gold Coast overnight.
Police believe his execution outside his Pimpama home was carried out by locals linked to the
Mongols outlaw motorcycle gang rather than a hit squad sent in from interstate.
It’s understood Bowden recently returned to the Finks bikie gang, after being booted from the Mongols.
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Originally published as Shane Bowden shot dead in Pimpama: Mongols and Finks bikies ‘preparing for showdown’