A former boxer was shot dead in Melbourne’s inner north-west early on Sunday morning in a suspected targeted attack.
Hussein Dehaini was found with gunshot wounds on North Street in Ascot Vale about 12.15am.
An underworld source, granted anonymity for their safety, told this masthead that Dehaini had links to the Haddara crime family, was allegedly involved in extortion and illicit tobacco, and had made powerful enemies in recent months.
“I’m not surprised,” the source said. “It has been coming for a long time.”
Dehaini was once a professional boxer who fought under the alias “Skinny” and recorded 10 wins, according to an online fighter profile that listed him as inactive.
Two other sources confirmed the victim’s identity to this masthead on Sunday as detectives investigated a large crime scene, which included blood spatter on Mount Alexander Road.
Security camera footage from a nearby shop recorded three loud bangs just after midnight, startling late-night revellers in the busy area.
The footage appeared to show the initial shots were fired on Mount Alexander Road, but a trail of blood led down North Street where emergency services found a man in his 30s critically injured.
Police said he was taken to hospital, but later died. A spokeswoman for Victoria Police said investigators were “yet to establish where or how the man” was fatally injured.
Detectives also inspected a black Ford Ranger ute on Mangalore Street – just south of the crime scene – on Sunday.
Ella, a barista who lives nearby, said she heard two shots just after midnight.
“It, like, echoed,” she said. “It sort of sounded like gunshots, but I wasn’t totally sure.”
She went back to sleep, thinking a car might have just backfired, but later woke up to find her street cordoned off with police tape.
“It’s just sad,” she said.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
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Lachlan Abbott is a crime reporter at The Age. He was previously a city reporter and covered breaking news.Connect via email.
