Police are investigating whether the murder of a father-of-six outside his family’s home in Altona Meadows was a case of mistaken identity.
Khaled Abouhasna pulled into his mother’s driveway shortly before 2am on Sunday where he was gunned down by an unknown assailant.
Fairfax Media has learnt the 39-year-old had a passenger in the silver Mercedes at the time of the shooting.
It has led the homicide squad to probe if Mr Abouhasna was shot accidentally and the intended target was actually the front-seat passenger, sources say.
The death has sparked concern in the criminal community that there will be further attacks.
Neighbours in the quiet suburban court called Triple 0 after hearing the gunshots, but no one saw the gunman or gunmen, though Fairfax Media has been told a white van was seen in the street around the time of the shooting.
Police called to the scene found Mr Abouhasna had been shot twice and he died at the scene.
A number of family members were at home at the time, including Mr Abouhasna’s mother. Detectives said “traumatised” relatives were co-operating with police.
A Victoria Police spokeswoman said the homicide squad’s investigation into the death was “active and ongoing”.
“Investigators are currently following up on a number of inquiries and it would be inappropriate to give a step-by-step account of the investigation,” the spokeswoman said.
“Further information will be released by the homicide squad when they believe it will assist the investigation.”
Mr Abouhasna, known as Karl Kay and Kay Kay, is linked to criminal figures, namely associates and members of outlaw motorcycle gangs.
His brother-in-law Kazem Hamad is closely associated with Toby Mitchell, the former Bandidos enforcer who has survived two shooting attempts on his life and is currently remanded in custody over extortion allegations.
Mr Hamad is on bail after being implicated in a large-scale international heroin and ecstasy smuggling ring shut down last year in a joint operation by customs, Australian Crime Commission and federal and Victoria Police.
Mr Abouhasna has also been pictured with Mongols bikie Tyrone Bell.
Family farewelled the father-of-six in a funeral on Thursday.
Relatives spoke to Fairfax Media earlier in the week, describing Mr Abouhasna as having a “soul of gold” who “wouldn’t hurt a fly”.
They said they were at loss to explain why Mr Abouhasna was killed or who was behind it.
They slammed any suggestion he was linked to underworld figures.
This story first appeared in The Age
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