Bikie insiders deny feud between the Mongols and Comanchero gangs following stabbing death
Police have released the names and photos of two men possibly linked to a Brisbane gang known as 13 Kings linked to the shocking stabbing death of a bikie associate outside a gym.
Police & Courts
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Police are searching for two suspected gang members, believed to be a part of little-known group “13 Kings”, following a brutal Carindale stabbing.
Kyle Martin, 24, and Thomas Myler, 35, are still outstanding following the stabbing death of bikie associate Levi Johnson outside a gym on Monday, with police saying they want to speak to the pair.
Detective Superintendent Andrew Massingham said the pair were thought to be a part of gang, “13 Kings”, but information on the group was scarce.
He confirmed police were looking into whether the gang was a feeder group for an outlaw motorcycle gang.
Superintendent Massingham said specialist police had gone to a house in Birkdale this morning and another 34-year-old man was in police custody.
“He is currently in police custody and is subject to questioning in relation to this homicide,” Supt Massingham said.
“We do however have two males outstanding. We have made significant inquiries in the last 36 hours to locate those persons and those inquiries to date we haven’t been able to locate them.
“Today we are making a public appeal for any person who knows the whereabouts of Kyle Martin, aged 24, or Thomas Myler, aged 35.”
Police believe the men are in the Capalaba, Birkdale or Ransome areas.
“We make an appeal to them to hand themselves in to the nearest police station. But more importantly, any member of the public that does have knowledge of the whereabouts of these individuals, we ask to call Policelink or if they wish to remain anonymous Crime Stoppers.
“Or if any person feels that they are in any immediate danger from these persons call triple-0.”
LINKS TO ‘13 KINGS’ GANG
Supt Massingham said police had searched Ransome and Birkdale areas yesterday but could not find the men.
“We were looking for persons that we wish to question in relation to this tragic homicide,” he said.
“Those persons last night were not located at those addresses.”
Supt Massingham said police hoped the men would “see reason” and hand themselves in.
“The person that was taken into custody this morning at the Birkdale address and the two males that are outstanding and also the 34-year-old male, claim to be either members or associates of the 13 Kings gang or group, which is a fairly well unknown group that does have a presence or a clubhouse in the Capalaba area,” he said.
“The credibility of those claims is still being investigated. And any claims that that club is linked to any other outlaw motorcycle gang at this stage is supposition only.”
Supt Massingham said it would be “premature” to link the group to any OMCG.
He said the death was “horrifically violent and the way in which it was conducted it unthinkable”.
“It is in the interests of public safety that these two persons are brought into custody as soon as possible,” Supt Massingham said.
“There is the potential for both of them to be armed and also dangerous.
“That is our concern and that is why we are seeking assistance from the public.”
Supt Massingham said police suspected who stabbed Mr Johnson but did not want to say at this stage.
“Operationally I’d like to be in a position to offer those persons an opportunity to be interviewed and allegations put to them before I am able to formally confirm that,” he said.
Supt Massingham said two members of the public had come forward who had dashcam video of the stabbing and shortly before the stabbing.
Supt Massingham said “items of significance to the investigation” were found in a raid at Ransome yesterday.
“There was also evidence of the individual cutting their hair and it relates to the wanted person Myler,” he said.
“In the photograph you will see he has short back and sides with longer hair in the middle. I suggest that he is now clean shaven or similar.”
At a separate raid at Birkdale yesterday in Thomas St, component parts of weapons were found.
Supt Massingham said police did not have the weapon used in the stabbing.
He said he wanted to give the men an opportunity to be interviewed.
“I consider each of these four people to be as equally dangerous as each other and as a result the appeal reflects the level of urgency we are seeking,” Supt Massingham said.
Describing the 13 Kings gang he said it was “probably a group of individuals with similar interests but it is certainly not well known or well established”.
“There is some suggestion that this club may be a feeder group, that’s a line of inquiry that we are exploring. At this stage that link has not been established but we are only early days,” he said.
Supt Massingham said there was no clear motive.
“It appears the four individuals that were responsible, were conducting some surveillance of the victim, shortly before the incident at Mansfield,” he said.
“That surveillance was being conducted in the Carindale area. And we have evidence to place them there, making certain observations of the victim.
“We then have sightings of the vehicles, between Carindale and Mansfield, and that is subject to the ongoing inquiries.”
Supt Massingham said he was concerned about the level of violence in the stabbing.
“This type of violence in public space is concerning to me and should be concerning to everybody,” he said.
“At this stage any link between this incident and tensions between rival groups or gangs has not been established.”
He said it was possible the men were being helped by others to hide from police.
“And I say to those people, that no matter how loyal you wish to remain to them, there are consequences,” Supt Massingham said.
“And also those that knowingly do that from today onwards, put themselves in a position where they may need to be investigated for those offences of aiding or harbouring people, once it is known that they are being sought by the police for questioning.”
Supt Massingham said police believed Mr Johnson knew he was being followed and had gone into the gym car park to “seek some refuge” before he was cornered.
Police are yet to find the Nissan Patrol.
Supt Massingham confirmed police were investigating if there was any conflict between the men prior to the stabbing.
‘NO WAR’: BIKIE INSIDERS SPEAK OUT
Bikie insiders have shot down talk of a war between the Mongols and Comanchero following the fatal stabbing of an outlaw motorcycle gang associate in Brisbane.
Comanchero associate Levi Johnson, 23, was allegedly ambushed by four men and stabbed to death outside a Mansfield gym on Pine Rivers Drive about 4pm Monday.
The men allegedly used an Audi to drive up behind Mr Johnson before ramming his Mercedes with a Nissan Patrol and smashing his windscreen with a crowbar.
He tried to flee but was allegedly chased across the street by two men, one of whom stabbed him multiple times in what police described as a “brazen” and “horrific” attack.
One man has been arrested over the attack.
Mr Johnson, brother of world boxing champ Cherneka “Sugar Neekz” Johnson, was also stabbed in an unrelated incident last November.
There is no suggestion Ms Johnson is herself a bikie associate, or has done anything wrong.
But bikie insiders say the fatal stabbing of Mr Johnson is not part of a gang feud.
A senior source said the Mongols and Comanchero were “pretty close” and the attack was not linked to any inter-gang tensions.
“There is no war between the Mongols and Comos, one million per cent,” he said.
“This is not a club issue, it’s young fellas having a dispute that escalated in the heat of the moment.
“There were no (patched) Mongols or Comos involved.”
The source said Comanchero and Mongols gang members serving jail sentences were allies behind bars.
A man arrested in bushland near the scene of the death in Brisbane’s southeast was charged Tuesday with a raft of weapons offences.
Stuart Galloway, 34, of East Brisbane, was arrested by dog squad officers just a few hundreds metres from where Mr Johnson was fatally stabbed.
He was charged with one count each of unlawful possession of a weapon (revolver), possession of detachable magazines without licence and authority required to possess explosives.
Mr Galloway was remanded in custody Tuesday after his case was mentioned in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Roma St on Tuesday and is scheduled to appear in court on September 29.
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