Mohammed Keshtiar shooting: Underworld figure dead after he was sprayed with bullets while walking near busy Chapel St nightlife area
- A man was shot and killed in Melbourne
- Sprayed with bullets near Chapel St about 11.40pm on Friday
- Police believe it was a targeted attack
Underworld figure Mohammed Keshtiar has been identified as the man shot dead while walking down a Melbourne street.
Police were called to Almeida Crescent in South Yarra, close to nightlife on the popular Chapel Street, at about 11.40pm on Friday after reports a number of shots were fired at a man.
Keshtiar, known in gang circles as ‘Afghan Ali’, sustained life-threatening injuries and later died in hospital.
Detectives are yet to determine the circumstances but believe the incident was targeted.
A man was shot and killed in South Yarra, Melbourne, at about 11.40pm on Friday night (pictured, emergency services at the scene)
Underworld figure Mohammed Keshtiar – known as ‘Afghan Ali’ – has been identified as the man shot dead while walking down Almeida Crescent in South Yarra, Melbourne on Friday night
The shot man, who is yet to be identified, sustained life-threatening injuries and later died in hospital (pictured, an officer at the crime scene on Saturday)
A black dual cab ute (pictured on Saturday) was dusted for evidence by a forensic team
Keshtiar is known in Melbourne’s underworld for his involvement in the drug trade and committing other violent crimes.
He survived an attempt on his life six years ago when a gunman waited at his home in Narre Warren.
The ordeal, which resulted in the death of a child, turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.
Keshtiar served time in prison for the attempted murder of a man and a woman he gunned down while on bail in 2003 and for shooting a security guard at a Prahran nightclub.
While in prison, he was recruited to the Mongols, one of Melbourne’s most influential bikie gangs.
Keshtiar was also aligned with Hasan Gunes, who was recently arrested and accused of threatening an ex-member of an outlaw bikie gang with a hammer during a roadside fight and claimed the man had raped his sister..
Officers cordoned off the area and set up a crime scene, which remained in place Saturday morning.
‘Detectives are still working to determine the exact circumstances of the incident but would like to speak anyone who witnessed anything or has CCTV or dash-cam vision of the incident,’ Victoria Police said.
A black dual cab ute has been dusted for evidence by a forensic team.
A resident from a nearby apartment told the Herald Sun they heard ‘loud bangs’ while watching a movie but did not see the shooting.
Detectives are yet to determine the circumstances but believe the incident was targeted (pictured, the scene on Saturday)
Officers are now focused on tracking down the person responsible for the shooting (pictured, witnesses at the scene on Friday night)
Officers cordoned off the area and set up a crime scene (above), which remained in place Saturday morning
‘I heard five or six shots,’ they said.
‘I was just watching a movie and you don’t really think anything of it.’
‘Then when I went out for my walk this morning, there was all this police.’
Officers are now focused on tracking down the person responsible for the shooting.
Police urged anyone with information or footage to contact Crime Stoppers.
