By Cameron Houston and Chris Vedelago
A manhunt is underway for two masked men who shot kickboxer and ex-Mongols bikie Suleiman “Sam” Abdulrahim as he was leaving a funeral in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
In a dramatic series of events, the masked shooters crashed their getaway car into a fire hydrant before carjacking a woman and child at gunpoint and fleeing in their Ford Territory, while an injured Abdulrahim was driven in his Mercedes to the Fawkner police station where an ambulance was called.
Video captured at a nearby petrol station shows one of the offenders, dressed in black and wearing a yellow mask, running from the crashed getaway car.
Images from a video showing one of the masked offenders fleeing their crashed Mazda.
Sources have told The Age that Abdulrahim, 30, was ambushed and shot twice in the chest as he left a funeral at Fawkner cemetery on Saturday in what police believe was a targeted attack.
He was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where he was in a serious but stable condition on Saturday evening.
Suleiman Abdulrahim is arrested outside the Magistrates Court after a wild brawl in 2015.Credit: Eddie Jim
Despite his injuries, sources have told The Age that Abdulrahim was talking in hospital.
Police were guarding a black Mercedes-Benz G-Class four-wheel-drive with three bullet holes in the front driver’s side window outside Fawkner police station on Saturday afternoon.
The violence erupted shortly before 12pm, police said, when two men in a Mazda SUV fired shots into a Mercedes four-wheel-drive at the Fawkner cemetery on Box Forest Road.
The offenders sped from the scene but crashed the Mazda into a fire hydrant and pole near the intersection with Sydney Road.
Images from a video showing the crashed Mazda and one of the masked gunman running from the scene.
They ditched the damaged Mazda and carjacked a Ford Territory from a woman and her son at the nearby petrol station and sped off.
“Firearms were produced in the carjacking but … the mother and her son were not injured, but obviously a terrifying experience,” Acting Superintendent Boris Buick said.
Police are looking for this black Ford Territory wagon.Credit: Police
Police were still searching for the Ford Territory on Saturday evening.
When asked if police knew the identities of the shooters, Buick said: “No idea who they are.”
He was unable to say if there could be retaliatory attacks. “Obviously an incident like this is terrifying for the public to witness, terrifying for the people who are involved,” he said.
“Victoria Police has committed significant local and specialist resources to this matter and initial investigation. It’s obviously very early in the investigation, and many inquiries are under way.”
A Mercedes-Benz G-Class four-wheel-drive outside Fawkner police station.Credit: Paul Jeffers
A professional kickboxer, who has fought under the name “The Punisher”, Abdulrahim was jailed for two years after he caused the death of an 88-year-old great-grandmother while driving a high-powered Ferrari 360 Spider at almost 50 kilometres over the speed limit on the wrong side of the road in Melbourne’s north in 2015.
That same year, Abdulrahim made headlines when he was involved in a wild brawl on the third level of the Melbourne Magistrates Court building with another kickboxer, Omar Bchinnati.
Abdulrahim outside court in 2016.Credit: Jason South
Security guards and police used capsicum spray to quell the fight. Abdulrahim was found guilty of assault and fined $2000.
Abdulrahim is a beneficiary owner of boxing promotion company Punisher Promotions, but does not appear on any corporate records connected to the business.
The Mercedes four-wheel-drive outside Fawkner police station.Credit: Paul Jeffers
A crime scene was set up outside the Fawkner police station on Sydney Road in Hadfield, 15 kilometres north of the Melbourne CBD.
Detectives were also scouring the corner of Box Forest Road and Sydney Road, less than two kilometres north of the police station.
The second crime scene at the corner of Sydney Road and Box Forest Road.Credit: Nine News
The police helicopter was also deployed.
Anyone who witnessed the incident, with CCTV/dash cam footage, or with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
with Ashleigh McMillan
Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.