Hamza El-Leissy arrested in relation to northern suburbs shooting after police spotted his distinctive Nike shoes

A young man accused of firing shots into a Thomastown house was arrested after police noticed his distinctive Nike “React Phantom” shoes.

A pair of distinctive yellow Nike shoes helped police make an arrest after eight shots were fired into a home in Melbourne’s north last month, injuring a resident and coming close to killing another.

Details of the “targeted” Thomastown attack emerged during a failed bail application for Hamza El-Leissy, 22, who fronted Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after being charged with a string of offences.

They include reckless conduct endangering life, prohibited person possessing a firearm and committing an indictable offence while on bail.

Mr El-Leissy is yet to be charged in relation to the attack but police on Thursday alleged the 22-year-old was one of the men behind the shooting, which is believed to involve feuding Middle Eastern organised crime groups.

Snr Constable Matthew Sciortino told the court at least two offenders threw a lit molotov cocktail onto the front porch of the Thomastown home on January 24, while opening fire, to “coax” a resident out.

“The cocktail was lit and discharged, landing on the porch, but it failed to ignite,” he said.

“A round (from one of the firearms) had impacted through a roller shutter, a blanket, a bathroom door and lodged into the plasterboard that separates an adjourning bedroom.

“It appears that someone was sleeping in the bed and narrowly avoided being shot.”

CCTV footage played in court captured the sound of the gunshots and inaudible yells, with local dogs barking in the background.

A 40-year-old resident of the Barry Rd home was shot in the arm as a result of the gunfire.

One day earlier, on January 23, police also allege the accused and another man – armed with a double barrel shotgun and revolver handgun – shot at the same house, but quickly fled after one of the weapons failed to discharge.

Snr Constable Sciortino said DNA analysis found Mr El-Leissy was “one hundred billion times more likely” to be a contributor to the cloth attached to the molotov cocktail.

His phone was also pinged to two phone towers, close to the Thomastown home, on both nights.

Phone footage was also played to the court showing Mr El-Leissy, in the hour after the second attack, driving along Sydney Rd at a speed of 229km/h while someone yells “faster c**t”.

Snr Const Sciortino said this footage had been downloaded from the phone of an associate of the accused, showing Mr El-Leissy wearing distinctive yellow Nike “React Phantom” shoes.

One of the offenders captured on CCTV attempting to shoot at the home on January 23 was seen wearing the exact same shoes.

Mr El-Leissy was arrested on Wednesday by Armed Crime Squad detectives at his Craigieburn home, with police seizing his Nike shoes and a loaded revolver handgun.

The court heard he has a number of “outstanding matters” including charges of careless driving, disqualified driving and breaching a community corrections order (CCO).

The Craigieburn man was sentenced to the CCO last year after he was convicted of affray and possessing prohibited weapons.

Snr Constable Sciortino said police opposed Mr El-Leissy’s bail application, noting he had previously been charged with committing indictable offences while on bail and had recently breached numerous bail conditions.

“He showed no remorse or future intention to comply with any conditions that are imposed and said that being locked up didn’t faze him at all,” he said.

“In the conversations I’ve personally had with him, it appears he has nothing in the community that’s worth staying out (of custody) for.”

Defence lawyer Nikhil Sood asked Snr Constable Sciortino whether any CCTV footage clearly identified his client at the Thomastown home on January 24, to which he replied it did not.

He argued Mr El-Leissy should be granted bail because it is likely he will not be sentenced to imprisonment if the current charges he is facing were proven.

However, police argued there was strong “supporting evidence” linking him to the Thomastown shootings.

“The CCO (and) the bail conditions have done nothing to prevent further offending in the circumstances,” a police prosecutor said.

Magistrate Robert Kumar denied Mr El-Leissy bail, saying he posed an “unacceptable risk” and would “endanger the safety and welfare of any person” if let out.

He has been remanded in custody and will return to court on March 14.

The investigation remains ongoing, with charges pending.

No other arrests have been made.

Victoria Police also allege the Thomastown attack is linked to another in Coolaroo on February 10, which resulted in a 27-year-old Greenvale man taking himself to hospital after he was shot in the leg.

CCTV capturing a white Toyota Camry speeding away from the Coolaroo property will form a major part of the VIPER task force’s joint investigation into the connected shootings.

Police hope someone can provide information about the Toyota Camry’s whereabouts.

Police hope someone can provide information about the whereabouts of the Toyota Camry.

Investigators also seized a white Holden Commodore from the Greenvale home.

The Armed Crime Squad’s Det Insp Michael Daly said the targeted attacks had caused “significant concern” among the community, and called on those who knew more to come forward.

“We are particularly keen to speak to anyone who might have seen the white Toyota Camry in the Coolaroo area around 11pm on 10 February,” he said.

“The indiscriminate use of illicit firearms remains a key focus for Victoria Police.

“We are committed to targeting those involved in this type of offending and holding them to account.”

Police were earlier this month also exploring links between Middle East organised crime groups and another shooting in broad daylight in Thomastown, during which a 20-year-old man was shot at the Whittlesea Public Gardens about 5pm.