CCTV shows terrifying moment gunman shoots Melbourne criminal Gavin Preston at Keilor cafe

Chilling CCTV shows cafe patrons scrambling for cover as a gunman dressed in black runs up and fires at Melbourne crime heavyweight Gavin “Capable” Preston.

• Gavin Preston incapable of a life without crime

Chilling CCTV has captured the moment Gavin “Capable” Preston was gunned down in a hail of bullets on Saturday morning as innocent bystanders scramble for cover at a Keilor café.

Police fear the death of the Melbourne underworld heavyweight could now set off a wave of revenge attacks due to its underworld links.

In vision obtained by the Sunday Herald Sun, Preston can be seen dining at bustling Sweet Lulu’s cafe with Abbas Maghnie Junior, known as AJ, who is the son of his old running mate and fellow crime figure, Nabil Maghnie.

A hooded man dressed in black suddenly starts running towards them.

Just seconds before the ambush unfolds at 10.20am, Abbas Junior appears to notice the gunman before he drops his coffee and flees from the table.

The gunman, dressed in black, runs up to the cafe. Picture: .Supplied

Preston is then shot up to 10 times and collapses to the ground before two men race to assist him.

Innocent customers seated nearby are also seen ducking for cover underneath tables as the horror unfolds.

CCTV captured the moment terrified cafe patrons scrambled for cover.

Despite being quick to move away, Abbas Junior was shot in the stomach during the ambush and was taken to hospital.

It is not the first time he has been caught up in underworld violence.

He was with his Middle-Eastern organised crime figure father Nabil when he was fatally shot at Epping in January 2020.

Abbas Junior was also wounded that night and, after being taken to hospital, returned to the shooting scene.

Gavin Preston with friends in a recent picture. Picture: Supplied

Unfinished drinks and belongings left on the table where Preston and Maghnie Jr were seated. Picture: David Crosling

Police with the dumped Audi Q5. Picture: David Crosling

Crime command assistant superintendent Mark Hatt said police would be working to prevent further attacks given Saturday’s shooting was linked to organised crime.

“Victoria Police is committed to throwing all resources in relation to this investigation and will do everything we possibly can to ensure no further acts like this occur,” he said.

In emotional scenes, Preston’s fiancee Lauran Howe and another man tried to get through the police tape that was cordoning off the crime scene.

She could be heard screaming “he’s my husband” as she was led away by police.

Gavin Preston’s fiancee Lauran Howe runs along the police tape cordoning off the scene. Picture: David Crosling

Police with Lauran Howe after she crossed the tape. Picture: David Crosling

Police lead Preston’s fiance Lauran Howe from the scene. Picture: David Crosling

Police restrain a man, believed to be a relative of Preston, after he crossed the police tape. Picture: David Crosling

One underworld figure said the attack on Preston was significant.

“Wow, big move,” he said.

Another source said it was horrific, regardless of Preston’s history.

“No one deserves to be killed while they’re sitting there eating a meal,” that source said.

Preston has long been regarded as one of Melbourne’s most feared and formidable underworld figures.

He was released from prison in February after serving an 11-year sentence over the killing of drug dealer Adam Khoury at his North Melbourne apartment.

Since his release, Preston had the word “Capable” tattooed on his neck — the nickname given to him because he had become notorious for being capable of almost anything.

Recent social media pictures show Preston relaxing with a group of friends, clearly sporting his new ink.

Bullet holes are visible in the wall behind a forensic officer. Picture: David Crosling

There are reports a group of children were sitting at a table at the cafe when the shots were fired. Picture: David Crosling

Police chat to onlookers. Picture: David Crosling

Police speak to a man, believed to be a relative of one of the victims. Picture: David Crosling

Police and homicide squad detectives at the scene of the shooting. Picture: David Crosling

Police found the two burnt out cars in the hours after the shooting, with one left just 500m from the scene.

A black Audi Q5 was dumped at Blair Court where the occupants fled in a second car which was also discarded.

A nearby resident said while there was fire, the car was “not engulfed” in flames and remained largely intact.

One shop owner, who did not wish to be named, said he was having a coffee in his shop when he heard “chaos” outside.

“I didn’t hear any shots but I heard the sirens and everyone rushing over,” he said.

“What has this country come to? Last night and now this. It’s crazy,” he added, referring to the driver who killed one person and hit several pedestrians at a CBD tram stop.

Preston outside Melbourne’s Supreme Court. Picture: Hamish Blair

Abbas Maghnie Junior returns to the scene of his father’s murder in Epping after being shot in the leg in January 2020. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Gavin Preston pictured in Barwon Prison.

Preston was at Sweet Lulus cafe when he was shot.

The bloody aftermath of a stabbing attack on Preston inside Barwon Prison. Picture: YouTube

Another worker at the village said he heard “two shots” that were “unmistakably gun shots”.

“You just don’t expect this stuff here, especially at Keilor village,” he said.

“I’ve been here 40 years and never seen anything like this”.

Preston has himself been implicated in at least two gangland killings and has recently been seen associating with associates of an outlaw bikie gang.

During his term over the Khoury killing, Preston almost died in a brutal stabbing inside maximum security Barwon Prison.

He had previously been a suspect in the 2011 near-fatal shooting of ex-bikie strongman Toby Mitchell in Brunswick, but never faced charges in relation to that shooting.