Tributes have flown for a young Melbourne plumber who was shot dead in front of friends outside a suburban sports ground on Sunday night, including one from an alleged figure of Sydney’s underworld.
Daniel Hussein, 22, was fatally shot in the carpark of HR Uren Reserve in Thomastown about 7.40pm, having been involved in some type of confrontation.
Footage taken from the scene captured loved ones pleading for him to pull through, with a man heard yelling: “Come on, Daniel, you can do it”.
Mr Hussein was engaged to be married and had recently bought his own house, with his brother telling media on Monday he had no involvement in criminal activity.
The incident in Melbourne’s northern suburbs has shocked loved ones who have remembered Mr Hussein as a young man who could light up a room.
His uncle Abdallah Hussein wrote in an Instagram post on Monday the pain being felt by the family was “enormous” and their “grief is beyond words”.
“I always believed that one day, when my time comes, you would be the one carrying me to my grave,” he wrote.
“I never imagined that I would have to say goodbye to you first.
“I still cannot believe you are gone. I still cannot understand that I will never see your smile again, never hear your voice, never watch you walk through that door again.”
Another post from Daniel’s friend Edmond Dantes said the young plumber had his whole life ahead of him and was meant to be a groom in a few weeks, not the victim of a horrific crime.
“I was so looking forward to your wedding day, seeing you happy, celebrating you and being there for such a special moment in your life,” he said.
“You were meant to grow old, make memories and live the life you deserved.
“Not this. Never this.
Among the hundreds of comments on Mr Dantes’ post was one from the Instagram account of Sydney rapper Ay Huncho, real name Ali Younes, who police in NSW allege is an associate of the Alameddine crime network.
“Allah yerhamou,” he wrote, meaning “may God have mercy on him”.
There is no suggestion Younes has any involvement in the incident, nor that Mr Hussein had links to organised crime.
Mr Hussein’s brother Ali told media on Monday the 22-year-old tradie arrived at the scene near the Lalor United Sloga Football Club after a friend call him for help.
“His friend got into a brawl and called my brother. My brother pulled up … and they shot my brother. His car was still running,” Ali said, The Age reports.
He suggested the incident could be connected to a dispute that began on Saturday night at a nightclub in the Melbourne CBD.
In a 7News story on Monday night, it was reported Mr Hussein was driving with a friend when he noticed a black Porsche was tailing his car.
The network reported he then called a friend for help before a confrontation in the club carpark and a single gunshot was heard ringing out.
The gunman and Porsche SUV allegedly seen at the scene remain outstanding.
Victoria Police said in a statement on Monday that emergency services treated Mr Hussein at the scene of the shooting but were unable to revive him.
“The exact circumstances surrounding the shooting are still being determined, however police believe the victim may have been involved in a confrontation with the offender or offenders in the reserve carpark shortly before it occurred,” a spokesperson said.
“Investigators are keen to speak to anyone who may have been in the area and witnessed any suspicious activity, or who may have dash-cam or CCTV footage.”
Anyone with information should contact Victoria Police or Crime Stoppers.