Victoria’s anti-bikie police to investigate shooting at South Melbourne strip club Kittens

FEARS of tit-for-tat violence have emerged after a bouncer was shot outside a strip club, five weeks after another bouncer was shot there in almost identical circumstances.

A man is in hospital after being shot in the face during a drive by shooting outside Kittens nightclub in Cecil street, South Melbourne. Picture: Nicole Garmston

• Bikie gang linked to strip club shooting
• Related coverage: Drive-by shooting at Kittens

FEARS of tit-for-tat violence have emerged after a bouncer was shot outside a strip club, five weeks after another bouncer was shot there in almost identical circumstances.

Anti-bikie detectives have been called in to investigate after Tuesday night’s shooting at the Kittens club in Cecil St, South Melbourne, which left a crowd controller with serious facial injuries.

Police have expressed concern for the safety of innocent members of the public who may get caught in the crossfire.

They believe outlaw motorcycle gangs are involved in the violence.

A feud over control of security at the club is being considered as a possible motive for the two drive-by shootings.

Friction over control of security contracts has boiled over in recent months.

Detective Superintendent Peter De Santo, of the anti-gangs division, said police believed bikies were involved.

“The investigation has now been transferred over to the Echo Taskforce, the taskforce responsible for outlaw motorcycle gangs,” he said.

The charred shell of the car believed to have been used in drive-by shooting. Picture: Channel 10

“We are looking at links possibly involving security.”

One security industry source expressed concern that the shootings had the potential to escalate into open warfare.

“I’m not sure how much of this these guys will be prepared to take,” the source said.

Kittens management said it was taking the shooting seriously and will work with the Victoria Police investigation.

“These recent events are of concern, however they are not a direct reflection of any wrongdoing by Kittens,” a Kittens spokesman said.

“There is no evidence to suggest it is anything more than troublemakers determined to create a problem.”

In September last year, security industry figure Clay Auimatagi, 44, was shot several times in the leg outside his Skamma Gym in Vesper Drive, Narre Warren.

There were suspicions the attack on the former kickboxer was connected to a brawl with bouncers outside a CBD nightclub that involved a Comanchero and one of his associates.

Inside Melbourne’s strip club security wars.

Gang member Samson Bazi and underworld figure Nabil Maghnie were involved in the fight after being refused entry.

Mr Auimatagi, who is not believed to have been at the nightclub at the time, was for some time a close associate of former Comancheros president Mick Murray, who runs the Nitro Gym in Hallam, near Narre Warren.

The bouncer who was wounded in Tuesday night’s shooting, aged in his 40s, was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

“We have a certain line of inquiry in relation to the gangs,” Supt De Santo said.

“But due to the early stage of the investigation I can’t take that any further.

“We do believe there is some connection with some shootings which may have occurred in the earlier part of 2015 and back to 2014.”

Police believe at least two people were in the white Holden Malibu 4x4 vehicle at the scene of Tuesday’s shooting.

Shots were fired from the passenger side at 10.30pm.

The vehicle, which was stolen in a carjacking in the southeastern suburbs in the last few weeks, was found burnt out in Melton.

On November 30 last year, another bouncer at the Kittens strip club was injured when a drive-by shooter opened fire outside.

“South Melbourne is a very populated area, especially at half past ten at night,” Supt De Santo said.

“There are a lot of restaurants in and around the area. These shootings put the lives of innocent people at risk.”

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