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Shot of redemption By Cam Lucadou-Wells A Hampton Park tattoo parlour that was the scene of an alleged bikie-gang related shooting in February has shut down and sought a form of ’redemption’. Nitro Ink, which was based at a shopping strip at Fordholm Road, has apparently changed its name to Redemption Tattoo Studio and is set to open in Somerville this month. A message on Nitro Ink’s Facebook page on 28 March boasted of the “exciting news”. “Facebook isn’t allowing us to re-name the page so we will be starting from scratch. “See you all real soon. I miss our loyal customers so much.” The shop had been closed since a customer was shot nine times by two hooded, armed men in front of staff and customers in the early afternoon of 22 February. During the ambush, two bullets from semiautomatic handguns blasted through the studio’s back wall into the offices of an adjoining real estate agent and a law firm, narrowly missing workers. The attack has been linked to an internal feud between the Comancheros outlaw motorcycle gang’s national president Michael Murray and former leader Amad ‘Jay’ Malkoun. The 36-year-old Malvern victim, a member of the gang, was believed to have fallen out with the jailed Murray. He was targeted by the shooters, according to police. At least 10 shots were fired. Nine of the “well directed” shots struck the prone victim, mainly to the upper body. “It’s only by pure miracle that our victim is alive today,” Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Topham, of Victoria Police’s Echo taskforce, said. “One of our priorities of investigation is how the offenders knew the victim was in the tattoo parlour when he was.” The ambush also posed a serious risk of harm to other people in the shopping centre, he said. CCTV footage shows panicked bystanders running inside a nearby pizza shop and others fleeing down the footpath during the shooting.
People flee in a panic from Nitro Ink during the shooting.
Seconds before, a stolen silver Audi stops in front of the shop. The alleged shooters emerge from the car’s passenger side and stride into the shop with guns in hand. They escape in the Audi, which was found burnt-out shortly afterwards in Robjant Street, Hampton Park. From there, the driver and the two shooters drove away in a black Jeep Wrangler, police say. The offenders are believed to be Victorians, part of a Comanchero faction aligned with the overseas-based Malkoun. Police had yet to find a link between the Nitro Ink shooting and the gun murder of former Comanchero leader Mick Hawi - who was buried in New South Wales on the same day. Det Sen Sgt Topham said Nitro Ink had closed down partly due to some of its tattooists refusing to return to the worksite.
Star News has been told of neighbouring businesses being conjoined in a push to have Nitro Ink evicted. A relieved business owner, who didn’t wish to be named, said the parlour’s departure was a victory for “people and media power”. Fourteen businesses jointly threatened to leave the shopping centre unless Nitro Ink was banished, he said. “We were handing our keys back to the landlord. “If this place doesn’t go, we would have all moved out.” Some traumatised staff from his business and other nearby enterprises had not returned to work since the incident, he said. Customers had also been reluctant to return. There had however been no blow-back from Nitro Ink. “They’re nice people, they were
just doing their jobs,” the neighbour said. Victoria Police’s anti-outlaw bikie gang Echo taskforce is also investigating a Comanchero member’s attempted murder in a Reservoir park in August. It is also believed to be related to the Murray-Malkoun feud. Det Sen Sgt Topham said “no stone was being left unturned” to bring the shooters to justice. “Further acts of violence are always a concern ... when we’re dealing with the Comanchero motorcycle gang. “We know they are a violent gang. “Right now it doesn’t appear to be a great time to be a member of the Comanchero motorcycle gang.” Any information on the shooting, the silver Audi and the black Wrangler to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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