Police warn against Chaouk revenge attacks

OFF THE WIRE
Updated Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:55pm AEST
Chaouk's funeral was attended by dozens of members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (AAP: Joe Castro)

Video: Chaouk family say police will catch killer (ABC News) Audio: Melbourne shootings spark gangland fears (AM) Map: Fawkner 3060 Related Story: Chaouk family demand justice Related Story: Man arrested after Chaouk shooting Related Story: Manhunt for killer of crime family patriarch Related Story: Police play down underworld link to second shooting Victoria Police are on alert for any outbreak of gang violence in Melbourne's west, after the funeral of crime patriarch Macchour Chaouk this afternoon.

Chaouk's funeral was attended by a crowd including dozens of members of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, before his burial at Fawkner Cemetery.

The 64-year-old was shot dead in the backyard of his family home on Old Geelong Road in Brooklyn on Friday.

Victorian police have issued a general warning to the public not to launch revenge attacks in response to the murder.

Deputy Commissioner Ken Jones says the warning is not aimed at the Chaouk family but is aimed at anyone considering taking the law into their own hands.

"If anyone has got any inclination about taking revenge I'm just here to warn them and advise them not to do that, not to take the law into their own hands," he said.

"I know emotions are running high but I would ask people to calm down and let us do our job."

Chaouk's nephew Ali Chaouk spoke to the media outside the funeral service, saying that the crime is being unfairly portrayed as a gangland execution.

"We would like to declare to our fellow Australians that there is gross exaggeration in dealing with this sad event and its coverage," Ali Chaouk said.

"For instance using [the terms] underworld killings, war in the suburbs, vicious gun culture.

"We want to strongly believe that the Australian justice system and police will secure the rights of the innocent victim and his family and bring the killers in this terrible crime to justice."

The Chaouk family say there are no plans to seek revenge over the murder.

Chaouk has been laid to rest next to his son, who was shot dead at the family home by police five years ago.

Tags: law-crime-and-justice, crime, murder-and-manslaughter, vic, fawkner-3060

First posted Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:40pm AEST