Security guard gunned down outside Love Machine nightclub in Prahran, three others injured
Police are probing whether the ejection of some men from Love Machine earlier in the evening sparked Sunday morning’s deadly nightclub shooting. The Prahran attack killed security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani and left patron Richard Arow fighting for life.
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Police are probing whether the ejection of some men from Love Machine earlier in the evening sparked Sunday morning’s deadly nightclub shooting.
Security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani, 37, was killed and Richard Arow, 28, is fighting for life in hospital after shots were fired from a stolen Porsche SUV about 3.10am.
Two men were seen running from the Porsche, which was stolen from Dandenong in March, after it was set on fire in Wollert later in the morning.
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Sources told the Herald Sun that one avenue of inquiry was whether the ejection of some patrons who were behaving badly earlier in the night could have triggered the violence.
Crime Command Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh said police had not zeroed in on one crime group and were looking at a number of OMCGs and Middle Eastern Organised crime groups.
Four other people have been treated in hospital for injuries following the shooting, including a 50-year-old Gisborne man, 29-year-old Dallas man, a 20-year-old woman and 26-year-old Meadow Heights man Ali Shobhani.
Mr Shohani said he was queuing to enter the nightclub when he was hit in the arm.
He told Nine News that he witnessed Mr Osmani being shot, before he himself played dead fearing that the attackers would keep firing.
“It was just like a warzone,” Mr Shahani.
“I have never experienced this in my life.
“I thought they were going to continue shooting so I thought I should stay on the floor and pretend (to be) dead.”
Investigators believe the shooters would have had help and are trying to discover if they were followed to the location where the Porsche was dumped by another car.
The manner in which the attack was carried out has led police to believe the perpetrators are highly experienced criminals.
Ms Walsh said the shooting was horrendous and police were working to understand a motive for the attack.
“Clearly there are tensions escalating … this is a targeted attack but we don’t understand the motive or people involved in it,” Ms Walsh said.
“There are a range of criminal entities we are looking at.”
Ms Walsh said there was no evidence to suggest the shooting was linked to the other fatal gun attacks in March.
“Clearly there have been a number of shootings and we are doing everything in our power to keep our streets safe,” Ms Walsh said.
“The gentleman who died is a security guard and the man who is seriously ill in hospital was a patron waiting in line to get into this premises.”
“Innocent victims have lost their lives because of it (gun crime).”
“We are very keen for anyone who has any knowledge of that stolen black SUV … we are keen to hear from them.”
Security guards have been warned in recent weeks of simmering tensions among those who were being denied entry and those who had been kicked out of the popular nightclub.
One source said troubles for the club started in November after multi million renovations were done to the venue.
“There were some horrific heads in there,” the source said.
“It was once a good looking crowd but then the bikies and strippers slowly started taking over.”
Staff say there have been two notable incidents in recent weeks that may have been the trigger for the shooting.
In mid-March a man who was shadow boxing on the dance floor was kicked out and then got into a scuffle with a manger on the road, requiring police to restrain the patron. He returned a week later and was denied entry again.
About two weeks ago, police were called after a group of 20 men tried to enter the club on a Saturday but were denied entry. There was a heavy police presence and the group was forced to disperse.
“Security recognised them and said they were ‘people of note’,” an insider said.
“It’s not uncommon for people to take being denied entry personally and some do act out violently.”
In a bid to keep the bikies away, the Herald Sun has been told there were cash payments made to some members to keep them out of Love Machine.
STOLEN PORSCHE LINKED TO SHOOTING
The Porsche’s getaway driver almost crashed the car in making a hasty escape from the scene of the shooting, outside Prahran’s Love Machine club.
A police source told the Herald Sun the killer had fired at random, hitting security guards and party goers: “They didn’t care who they shot at — it’s just indiscriminate.”
Police are examining CCTV. Organised crime and bikie-busting taskforce Echo is assisting the investigation.
Panic gripped those in the club as it went into lockdown.
Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said no stone would be left unturned in finding those responsible for “this horrendous act”.
“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.”
It is not known whether the shooter and getaway driver had earlier been in the club.
The Porsche was later found burnt out at Wollert.
Premier Daniel Andrews, decrying a “tragedy”, said the government would consider any police request for tougher gun laws.
“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.”
The Premier also said police had not requested gun reform further to what has been rolled out in recent years, including firearm prohibition orders.
“No one is happy to see the events of last night,” Mr Andrews said. “We have made some very significant changes to the way our gun laws work.
“We are not pleased to have to do that but whenever the Victoria Police have come to us and sought further powers, further resources we have always stood ready to do that.”
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Tributes are flowing for 37-year-old Aaron Khalid Osman, who has been remembered as a “kind-hearted soul”, and a “true gentleman” with a “heart of gold”.
Mr Osmani’s close friend, Sidney Saayman, told the Herald Sun he was still in shock at his mate’s passing.
“Aaron was a beautiful man, the type of person that would calm any situation with the kindest of words and have everyone laughing before you know,” Mr Saayman said.
“He was always ready for a helping hand and the first to say hi and the last to say have good one.
“I’m still in utter shock how this came around as he was always looking out for others.
“Myself and so many others will be at a loss without him, he’s a great soul taken way too quickly, everyone will miss him dearly. My heart bleeds for his family and loved ones.”
Others said on social media that the shooting marked a “dark day” and that Mr Osmani “did not deserve to go like this”.
“The most humble security guard I have ever had the pleasure to call a friend, my heart is broken,” one person said.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for his family, with the fundraiser page saying: “Aaron was there to keep everyone safe and protect all the patrons, he ultimately lost his life doing so.”
‘BODIES ON THE GROUND’: WITNESS
Witnesses told the Herald Sun they saw four men in the Porsche soon after shots rang out about 3.10am on Sunday.
Sandra said she saw the Porsche’s back door open as the ambush began, and believed four people were inside.
She said after the shooting, the door shut as the car sped away over Malvern Rd and into a side street, Bray St: “The driver looked like he didn’t know what to do and almost crashed into another car.
“People were screaming, and the ones who were waiting in line were all running inside the club. And others were just running away.
“The guy just shot the people and drove off. There were four shots, and it was just boom, boom, boom, boom. There were bodies just on the ground.”
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.
Daniel also 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.”
Another local resident, Edie, originally thought that what she was seeing was a fight.
There had been a number of brawls and stabbings in the area.
“There is a bit of trouble around here, but it’s usually fighting and stabbings,” she said.
“It’s scary because it’s right on your doorstep — it could have happened to one of us.”
She initially thought the gunfire was something less sinister.
“At first I thought it was a car backfiring, then I heard the shots — pop pop pop,” she said.
“You’ve got druggies and all that around here, but I just ignore it.
“But (a shooting) is ridiculous. It’s right on your doorstep.”
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The nightclub released a statement on Facebook saying it would not open its doors on Sunday night, and would reopen on Thursday.
The statement read: “We regret to inform you that Love Machine will not be operating tonight. The events that occurred outside the venue last night have shocked us deeply and we are working closely with authorities to assist with the ongoing investigation.
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria for their assistance, as well as our community for their ongoing support.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, their family and friends during this very difficult time.”
The Malvern Rd venue is normally open between 9.30pm to 5am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
PARTY STRIP’S HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
Party strip Chapel St was once Melbourne’s nightclub capital, attracting the biggest names in Hollywood, music, sport and local TV over the years.
But its reputation has frequently been marred by violence, including murder, shootings, sexual assaults, and drug crime.
The Love Machine nightclub was once pop star Katy Perry’s choice to dance the night away with her entourage after the Logies.
But early on Sunday morning, it was the scene of the latest of a spate of shootings plaguing Melbourne.
The club now shares that dubious distinction with the Boutique club, around the corner in Greville St.
In its prime it was a magnet for celebrities such as Kylie Minogue, Michael Schumacher, Paris Hilton, Ashton Kutcher, One Direction’s Niall Horan, Kim Kardashian and Tommy Lee.
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But bullets flew there, too, in a drive-by shooting that was intended as a message to the then owner, the late Darren “Razzle” Thornburgh, over unpaid drug debts.
He was inside the club during the early morning shoot-up, but was not hurt.
Thornburgh was not so lucky on another occasion, when heavies stormed into his office and bashed him, also over unpaid debts.
Shots were also fired at the now defunct but once notorious Chapel St dance club Viper Room, a home of wannabe-gangsters and the scene of bashings and brawls.
Hassan Abdallah was booted from the club in November 2007 but returned with a gun to restore his honour. He cocked and pointed it, and it went off three times as bouncers tackled him; fortunately, no one was hurt.
Still haunting Chapel St are the shocking 2002 deaths of James Huynh, 19, and cousins Ham, 21, and Viet Huynh, 25. They were chased from the now-defunct Salt nightclub.
James was hacked to death with knives and samurai swords; his cousins, fearing the same fate, jumped into the Yarra River and drowned.
Being a well-known party hotspot, Chapel St is a magnet for drug dealers.
In 20017, 20 people partying along the strip were rushed to hospital suffering the effects of a toxic batch of MDMA, laced with synthetic drugs.
It also emerged that Victorian and federal police were investigating a French drug gang bombarding the Chapel St drug market. On some nights, dealers were offloading 300 caps, pocketing $7500.
Last year, a wild fight in Chapel St involving about 20 people left a man sprawled unconscious on the tram tracks.
But boozed-up revellers continue to flood the precinct — as do police trying to stamp out the thuggery and drug peddling that is killing the groove of what was once Melbourne’s party central.