By Michael Fowler and Chris Vedelago
Underworld figure Nabil Maghnie was shot dead in Melbourne's northern suburbs on Thursday evening.
Maghnie, 44, a suspected Comancheros associate who was most recently under investigation over the double-shooting at the Love Machine nightclub last April, was shot and killed in the car park of a Taco Bill restaurant in Epping about 8.30pm on Thursday.
Underworld figure Nabil Maghnie leaves court last July.Credit: Chris Hopkins
Police have confirmed that a Bundoora man died at the scene at the intersection of Childs Road and Dalton Road.
Two other men were shot and were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. One of the men is believed to be one of Maghnie's sons.
In a statement, police said a 27-year-old Plumpton man and a 44-year-old man were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
People gather at the scene in Epping.Credit: Nine News
Investigators say they believe all involved were known to each other.
A police helicopter circled the area after police and paramedics attended the scene.
A video showed one man, believed to be Maghnie, and a topless man both lying on the ground while being attended to by paramedics.
Mourners were seen gathered at the scene after the shooting, Nine News reports.
Underworld sources described Maghnie as a "dead man walking" amid his increasingly aggressive behaviour towards rivals in bikie groups and other organised criminal syndicates.
Maghnie was known as a habitually violent criminal, with a notoriously hair-trigger temper and a penchant for waging private vendettas publicly.
"It was only a matter of time," one criminal source said. "You can't do what he did without pissing off a lot of people – people won't stand for it."
Maghnie had been under investigation over the shooting at Love Machine nightclub last year. His 18-year-old son, Jacob Elliott, was charged in June with two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.
Forensic police work at the scene of the fatal shooting on Friday morning. Credit: AAP
Maghnie is a suspect in the attempted murder of Bandido Toby Mitchell in Brunswick in 2011.
He was also granted bail last year following a high-speed crash in Woodstock in which he was accused of having cocaine in his system.
In 2016, he was shot in the head through his front windscreen before driving himself to hospital.
That year he was also accused of being involved in a wild bar-stool brawl at Crown Casino after months earlier being charged over a fight with Mongol bikies at a brothel in South Melbourne.
In a statement, police said homicide squad detectives would lead the investigation into the Epping shooting with the armed crime squad assisting.
"The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting are still to be determined," the statement said.
"The investigation is ongoing."
Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au