OFF THE WIRE
SYDNEY bikie Ricky Anthony Ciano, who has extensive interests on the Gold Coast, has been arrested and charged with a brazen shooting in a Kings Cross strip club.
The 31-year-old patched member of the Rebels outlaw gxxg was arrested at Parramatta yesterday by Kings Cross detectives and charged with intent to murder Amer Tashman, when he fired inside the packed venue.
Police allege Ciano opened fire inside the Bada Bing just before 2am on Monday, hitting one man and sending strippers and patrons diving for cover.
Three shots were allegedly fired across the dance floor after five men began pushing and shoving each other during an altercation about 1.40am.
Mr Tashman suffered a gunshot wound to the shoulder, while staff and patrons dived for cover.
Mr Ciano is also facing charges for possessing an unlicensed pistol.
One man who was drinking at the nightspot at the time said: "All we heard was, 'Bang, bang, bang'. We turned around, we just seen someone running to a car and drive off."
Police were called to the club on Darlinghurst Road where they found a 29-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his shoulder.
Ciano is well known on the Coast and his regularly seen partying on the Glitter Strip.
He is believed to be linked to the Blush nightclub in the heart of Surfers Paradise.
In January, Ciano was at the centre of of a public brawl on the Gold Coast between the Rebels and the Bandidos outlaw gxxg.
Tension has been high between the two clubs and a tentative peace fractured when Ciano came to blows with a member of the Bandidos at Hollywood Showgirls.
Ciano was never charged over the incident, but a member of the Bandidos was later banned from the party precinct after storming Blush nightclub in a bid to settle the score with the Sydney bikie.
Police said Ciano was also busted for public nuisance weeks later and also for obstruction after detectives raided a unit and found ecstasy in the exclusive Q1 building in 2009.
Sources claim Ciano is a regular to the Gold Coast, preferring to travel by plane through Coolangatta airport.
Despite Facebook images of Ciano and a little girl, police say the senior Rebel is known for his `violent temper'.
"He tends to react without thinking. He's been involved in a number of incidents on the Gold Coast," police said.
"He's well known to police."
Ciano was charged with attempted murder and firearm offences.
There have been 11 shootings in Sydney this month in suburbs from Darlinghurst to Pendle Hill and Minto.
Mr Ciano declined to appear in Parramatta Court yesterday when his case was briefly mentioned before magistrate Swain.
No plea was entered and his solicitor did not apply for bail. The case has been adjourned to Central Local Court next month.
http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2012/04/13/407445_gold-coast-news.html
