Figures in Melbourne’s underworld scene have commented on the broad daylight shooting of Gavin “Capable” Preston at a cafe in Keilor Village in the city’s north-west on Saturday morning.
When asked for their response to the incident, one underworld source replied ““Wow, big move,” per the Herald Sun.
A second, slightly more empathetic figure told the paper that “No one deserves to be killed while they’re sitting there eating a meal”.
“Capable”, a nickname that he recently had tattooed on his neck, was given to the notorious hardman as he was said to be “capable of anything”. At the time of his death he had just been released from prison mere months ago.
Since the shooting, which occurred on the same day as the tragic car crash that left one dead and five injured in the city’s CBD, authorities have been scrambling to get to the bottom of the case.
“Victoria Police is committed to throwing more resources in relation to this investigation and we’ll do everything we possibly can to ensure no further acts like this occur,” Crime Command Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt said per The Age.
“We’re keeping an open mind as to what we’re looking at and we’ll exhaust every avenue to find out what went on today.”
When the shooting occurred at around 10.20am on Saturday, Preston was accompanied by Abbas Jr “AJ” Maghnie, the son of the late underworld figure Nabil Maghnie who was shot in 2020.
According to sources who spoke to The Age, AJ was also shot but not fatally. He was rushed to hospital immediately after the incident.
“They put a clip into him,” one underworld source said to the paper.
Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Shane Patton said two suspects were seen escaping the scene on foot before jumping into a getaway car nearby.
After hearing “four quick pops”, Thirsty Camel employee Harrison Aylward told The Age he “just figured it was somebody’s car backing up a little bit.
“I walked out to see what was going on and I didn’t see anybody, so I guess they all sort of scattered off,” he said.
“As far as I know nothing like this has ever really happened here, so it’s a bit of a shock.”
According to information from the underworld community, a contract was recently taken out on Preston’s life.
“It was just a matter of time, and there’s a lot of people who’ll be happy to see him dead,” a source confirmed.
“This idea he was going to settle down and go straight was total bullshit and everyone knew it.”
Preston was imprisoned for 11 years over the shooting death of a drug trafficker.
Back in August, a man was shot dead in the inner-eastern Melbourne suburb of South Yarra.
Prior to this in July, three people were seriously injured in a shooting in Sydney.
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