Second victim dies as detectives probe bikie link in hunt for Love Machine gunman

A second victim of the Love Machine nightclub shooting has died as detectives investigate whether a suspect has links to bikie gangs, was recently ejected from the club and was later twice denied entry.

A second man has died following a shooting outside Love Machine nightclub in Prahran last Sunday morning.

Richard Arow, 28, died in the Alfred Hospital last night after suffering a gunshot to the head while he queued up outside the venue.

Security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani was also shot, and died in hospital on Sunday.

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Tributes flowed on social media for Mr Arow.

“One of the nicest and happiest guys I know,” Jonnathan Solorzano Mendez wrote on a Facebook post.

“Your presence was of pure calmness and positivity. You were truly a well respected soul full of kindness upon every meeting,” Krystal Jade wrote on Facebook.

Yeshan Hirushika Walpola wrote on Facebook: “I’m going to miss that smile of yours bro. R.I.P.”.

Mr Arow was an avid soccer fan, supporting Chelsea in the Premier League and playing for Brimbank Stallions FC.

The Stallions’ soccer director Mario Vallese told the Herald Sun that Mr Arow’s death is a tragedy and that he will be sorely missed.

“He was a well-respected and much-loved team member,” Mr Vallese said.

“He was a happy guy, always jovial, and a hard worker.”

“He had such a big smile and an infectious character - it’s very sad what has happened.”

The news comes as detectives are investigating whether a man recently ejected from Prahran nightclub Love ­Machine, then denied entry twice in later weeks, is linked to the deadly shooting outside it.

Police have stepped up the hunt for the gunman, still on the run almost a week after shots were fired, killing one doorman and injuring patrons.

Horrific footage has emerged of the aftermath and how ­clubbers tried to save the life of the slain security guard.

As police move to boost patrols this weekend, a source told the Herald Sun a patron was thrown out of the club about a month ago after staff noticed him behaving aggressively on the dancefloor.

After he was ejected he got into a scuffle outside the club, just off Chapel St, and police were called.

He was denied entry again in the following fortnight, and again last weekend when he tried to enter with mates.

Police are investigating if he is connected to the killing — and his links to members of a bikie gang.

Police have not revealed the gun used in the drive-by shooting, but it is understood to be an automatic weapon capable of firing quickly.

The entry to Prahran nightclub Love Machine.

The shooting happened at 3.10am last Sunday, with the gunman firing indiscriminately from a stolen Porsche SUV travelling at about 40km/h.

Security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani died in the hail of bullets, while 28-year-old patron Richard Arow, waiting in line to get into the venue, is still fighting for his life in The Alfred hospital.

There are suggestions they are victims of the same bullet which came from close range as the car door was opened.

Mr Osmani was farewelled at a private funeral during the week.

Police yesterday said homicide detectives were continuing to investigate the deadly attack but would not comment further.

Victoria Police’s bikies busting taskforce Echo is assisting with the investigation.

It can also be revealed there have been tensions within Love Machine over the clientele being allowed in.

Security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani died in the hail of bullets outside Love Machine Nightclub.

A young couple placed a bunch of flowers outside the nightclub door. Picture: Lawrence Pinder

“The place went from having a good looking crowd to a heap of rough heads, bikies and strippers,” the insider said.

The company which did security this week ended its contract with Love Machine, fearing safety of its staff.

Fellow clubgoer Ali Shohani, who was shot in the arm, took himself to the Northern Hospital for treatment and pretended to be dead during the attack in a bid to survive. Two other people were also injured.

There were chaotic scenes after the shooting with clubbers rushing inside to seek cover, while others ran towards Chapel St trying to escape.

In a video of the frantic moments after the shooting, seen by the Herald Sun, a man can be heard saying “put something on this eye to stop him bleeding” while others scramble to call an ambulance.

Police have stepped up the hunt for the gunman, still on the run almost a week after shots were fired, killing one doorman and injuring patrons.

The getaway driver almost crashed as they made a hasty exit from the Little Chapel St crossing over Malvern Rd and into Bray St, where the luxury car was last seen driving.

Investigators continue to trawl through hours of CCTV footage but are yet to make any arrest.

Some witnesses say there were about four people in the car.

Police believe the perpetrators are highly experienced criminals due to the nature of how they carried out the attack.

The Porsche was stolen from Dandenong last month and was found abandoned and burnt out in the northern Melbourne suburb Wollert hours after the shoot out.

Police have vowed to leave no stone unturned to catch the killer and have put on major resources to catch the gunman.

There will be boosted police patrols across Chapel Street’s entertainment precinct stretching through South Yarra and Prahran this weekend to alleviate any community concern.

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