Walid Chaaban sentenced at Victorian County Court over Lonsdale St shooting
A coked-up man shot an 18-year-old who punched him outside a popular Melbourne strip club during a verbal altercation between two groups.
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A coked up thug shot a teenager in the leg outside a popular Melbourne strip club after verbal stoush turned violent.
Walid Chaaban, 25, of Dallas, appeared for sentencing in the County Court on Friday on charges of intentionally causing injury, possession of a firearm while subject to a firearm prohibition order and possession of cocaine.
The shooting happened on Lonsdale St in Melbourne about 4am on December 10, 2023 outside the Men’s Gallery strip club.
A tense verbal altercation occurred between Chaaban, his accomplice Daniel Bodagh and a friend of the victim in the strip club’s smoking area before they all agreed to leave the venue.
The 18-year-old victim and his friends had been at the strip club for an 18th birthday party.
Chaaban ran to a parked Hyundai, opened the door to pick up his satchel which he placed on his shoulder and closed the door.
He then removed a .45 calibre handgun from the satchel which he placed under his T-shirt, before turning around and walking back towards Lonsdale St.
Chaaban cocked the firearm before hiding it in his T-shirt while a physical fight between Bodagh and a friend of the victim moved from Merriman Lane to Lonsdale St.
The victim and others were following the fight but were not actively involved.
The victim was standing in front of a Mercedes and punched Chaaban as the latter ran past him.
Chaaban then shot him in the left leg before he, Bodagh and another person left the scene in a Hyundai and went to a house in Broadmeadows. The victim was transported to The Royal Melbourne with serious leg injuries.
Judge Gavan Meredith said a significant prison term was warranted, given the seriousness of the crime that took place when other members of the public were around.
“The victim was unarmed and defenceless. Fortunately, he will make a good recovery,” His Honour said.
He sentenced Chaaban to a maximum sentence of five years and six months’ imprisonment, with three years and nine months non-parole.
Bodagh pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in July 2022 to one charge of affray and was sentenced to a 12-month community corrections order.
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