Shootings are not that common in Australia, but the incident that occurred on Sunday, the 14th April 2019 was what quite stirred off a wide outburst. A horrific drive-in shootout was witnessed outside a nightclub in Melbourne. The shootout killed a security guard and wounded other three men. However, there is has been no proof to indicate that the shoot out has anything to do with terrorism.
It should be noted that Australia has been considered to be one of the toughest countries when it comes to the handling of guns and similar weapons. No clear witnesses were available at the shoot out occurred into the dead of the night at around 3.10 am local time in Melbourne’s Prahran district.
No arrests have yet been made into the killings and shootout. Police have urged the witnesses to provide information on any of the vehicles that moved at high speed at the time of the event. In fact, details are also being sought about a black Porsche SUV which was later found burnt north Melbourne suburb of Wollert.
As per the reports, three security guards at the entrance to the nightclub and a man who was entering were injured. “The victims suffered horrific injuries from a weapon fired in close proximity”, the Homicide Inspector Andrew Stamper has stated. While one guard died at the hospital, another 28-year-old man is quite critical and fighting for life. Others were found to have non-life-threatening injuries.
Though terrorist links have been negated, the Police suspect the links between an outlawed motorcycle gang and the club. It should be noted that the shootout occurred at the Love Machine nightclub in the region. A personal rivalry has been the reason for the shootout, as per the current estimation.
Australia had witnessed one of the most horrific mass murders in 1996. Around 35 people were killed by a lone gunman at Port Arthur which is a popular tourist spot in Tasmania. It was after this incident that Australia introduced tight gun control measures. The country has a ban on rapid-fire rifles and shotguns, and also has a tightened gun licensing regulation.
