By Alex Crowe, Cameron Houston and Chris Vedelago
Notorious bikie Mohammed Akbar Keshtiar has been shot dead in a laneway off Chapel Street in a targeted attack that police fear could prompt an escalation of violence between Melbourne’s rival gangs.
Mohammad Akbar Keshtiar.
Keshtiar – known as Afghan Ali – died in hospital after being shot at multiple times while walking along Almeida Crescent, South Yarra about 11.40pm on Friday.
Police said the 53-year-old South Yarra man had been working out at a nearby gym before the shooting occurred. Keshtiar had been walking through the busy bar and restaurant strip with another man, who escaped uninjured.
A nightclub operator on Chapel Street told The Age that Keshtiar and another crime figure – a boxer – had recently been involved in “standing over” several venues on the busy street.
The source, who requested his identity not be revealed to protect his safety, said some nightclubs had been forced to switch security firms to avoid Keshtiar’s extortion attempts.
Crime Command Detective Superintendent Geri Porter said the man who was with Keshtiar at the time of the shooting had refused to provide information to police.
A burnt-out car – believed to be involved in the fatal shooting in South Yarra – was found in Churchill Park Drive, Rowville.Credit: Nine News
“I want to highlight that this wasn’t a random attack. We believe this was targeted,” Porter said.
A vehicle believed to be linked to the shooting was located burnt out in Rowville. Police have called for anyone who may have dashcam footage from the Churchill Park Drive area to come forward.
Keshtiar served time in prison for the attempted murder of a man and a woman he gunned down while on bail in 2003 and for shooting a security guard at a Prahran nightclub.
The underworld figure was recruited to the Mongols, one of Melbourne’s most powerful bikie gangs, while in prison.
Keshtiar was also aligned with Hasan Gunes, who was recently arrested and accused of threatening an ex-member of an outlaw motorcycle gang with a hammer during a roadside fight, and claimed the man had raped his sister.
Gunes was believed to be connected to a gang feud which resulted in two suburban homes, several cars and three businesses being set alight in tit-for-tat arson attacks.
One underworld source, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Age that Keshtiar’s death would result in a ramping-up of violence between warring gangs.
“It’s gonna really start now,” he said.
Keshtiar survived a botched assassination attempt several years ago, which resulted in a death that was a case of mistaken identity.
Zabi Ezedyar was greeted at the front door of Keshtiar’s parents’ home on August 16, 2017 when he was shot several times from behind. He died on the footpath outside.
The laneway behind The Olsen Melbourne and Goldfields apartment complex was shut to the public on Saturday morning while homicide squad detectives investigated. Police were visiting nearby hotels and shops to check for CCTV footage of the area.
The shooting happened metres from Chapel Street, in the heart of the shopping district.
Almeida Crescent is across the road from the centre where Channel Ten film The Project and Have You Been Paying Attention? and runs alongside the $500 million Capital Grand complex, home to multimillion-dollar apartments. It is around the corner from the popular restaurant Beverly.
Homicide squad detectives are working to determine the circumstances of the shooting and have requested anyone who witnessed anything or may have CCTV or dash-cam footage to provide it to police.
“We’re very concerned about not only the risk to the people or persons that are targeted, but also innocent community members that get caught up in an activity like this,” Porter said.
Billy Algar, who lives in an apartment above the street, said she heard about 10 shots fired from where she was sitting in her living room.
She said she opened the door and saw a man running towards Chapel Street.
“We just wouldn’t believe that someone would get shot in the city of Melbourne,” she said.
Stephanie Gleeson and Ahmed Alamy live near where the shooting took place. They had been out walking with their four-week-old baby about an hour before the incident.
Gleeson said the northern part of Chapel Street, where they live, is usually fairly quiet, with more restaurants than nightclubs.
“We love the area. We feel really safe here,” she said. “It’s definitely a shock.”
Lloyd Nicholas was working at nearby restaurant Wong Baby, which had just closed up for the night, when the shooting occurred.
He said his colleague had been taking out the bins when police arrived, sirens blaring.
Nicholas said that while reports of violence were relatively rare in South Yarra, criminal behaviour did appear to have increased recently.
“I’ve become a much more cautious when going out, especially up on Chapel Street, just because some people are a bit intimidating,” he said.
“It’s quiet down here. This is the Toorak side. People are coming for dinner, it’s not a party environment.
“It’s really strange for us to see any kind of violence happening on this end. It was very confronting to have that happen right behind us.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com.au
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