OFF THE WIRE
Gunshot victim Toby Mitchell.
A SENIOR member of an outlaw motorcycle gang was shot in broad daylight in what was believed to be a revenge attack linked to prominent underworld figures.
Police are investigating whether yesterday afternoon's shooting of Bandidos' sergeant-at-arms Toby Mitchell was payback for the recent bashing of a man with links to the camp of slain underworld killer Carl Williams.
Mitchell is a former champion heavyweight kickboxer and has been linked romantically with Danielle McGuire, the former partner of Tony Mokbel, who is in jail on drugs charges.
In 2003, Mitchell was interviewed by detectives from the Purana Taskforce over the death of Mark Mallia, although he was not charged. Williams pleaded guilty to Mallia's murder in 2007.
Gunshots rang out across Brunswick's Barkly Square shopping centre car park about 4.30pm, when Mitchell was shot up to six times outside Doherty's Gym on Weston Street. It is believed there is also a bikie clubhouse in the street.
Mitchell, 37, was treated at the scene by paramedics and taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a serious but stable condition to receive emergency surgery. It is believed several members of his motorcycle gang attended the hospital.
One female witness emerged from the rear of a police car, where she was asked by police to remove her blood-stained singlet, replacing it with one provided by the nearby gym.
After the shooting, Mitchell is believed to have made his way into the car park. Heavily armed police later cordoned off the area where several bloodied towels lay. Members of the Special Operations Group also attended the scene.
The gunman drove off in a charcoal-grey 2011 Ford Territory with stolen plates, WIA 651.
''The situation is we have a gunman loose and we don't know where he is,'' Acting Superintendent Stephen Mutton said at the scene. ''We have a shopping centre here. There are a lot of families doing their day-to-day business. Fortunately, there was only one [person] seriously injured.''
One regular at the gym said it was a quiet, family run gym. ''Sure there were some big guys around but it was pretty friendly, people usually respected each other,'' he said.
It is uncertain whether the Brunswick shooting is linked to another shooting at the weekend in which a Comanchero gang member was shot in the foot.
AAP adds: Police last night cordoned off a back alley in inner Melbourne where a four-wheel drive, believed to have been used in the shooting, had been set alight.
Firefighters say the police declared the area a crime scene and believe the vehicle was used in the shooting at the Brunswick shopping centre.
Firefighters were called to the blaze in Galada Street, Parkville, about 10.20pm.
Read more:
http://www.smh.com.au/national/police-probe-gangland-link-to-shooting-20111128-1o3ee.html#ixzz1f0yEkLYO
