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Western Australian police raided the clubhouses of rival gangs after Nick Martin, a senior rebel motorcyclist, was shot and killed at an endurance racing event in Perth.
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Australian police say they are preparing for all-out gang warfare. Source: 1 NEWS
The 51-year-old man was killed in front of members of the public at the Perth Motorplex in Kwinana Beach shortly after 8:30 p.m. local time on Saturday.
Police are believed to be investigating whether he was shot by a sniper.
A 31-year-old man linked to the Rebels was also injured, while an unrelated five-year-old boy sitting on Martin’s wife’s lap was grazed by a bullet fragment.
The blatant public murder has sparked fears of a gang war and prompted a warning from Washington Police Commissioner Chris Dawson.
“We cannot allow this kind of behavior, thinking they can do whatever they want, shoot people in a public place,” Dawson told Perth radio 6PR on Monday.
Former rebel motorcycle chairman Nick Martin was shot dead at the Kwinana Motorplex near Perth. Source: Nine
“We will work harder than ever to ensure that innocent Western Australians can live their lives in peace.”
Police believe that Martin, a former president of the rebels, had lost his “good reputation” and was under pressure within his own organization.
At the time of his death, he was facing financial misconduct charges and was reportedly beaten by a Hells Angels motorcyclist weeks earlier.
In March 2011, Martin was shot in the arm as he arrived at his Balcatta home on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. In 2012, a member of the Rock Machine motorcycle gang was sentenced to more than six years in prison for the shooting.
Dawson said police raided a Mongolian clubhouse Sunday, accusing one patched member of violating a post-sentence supervision order and another for drug offenses.
Officers also raided a Hells Angels clubhouse and searched property in Shoalwater, charging a ‘motorcycle associate’ with drug and weapons offenses.
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A high-ranking member of the rebel gang was shot and killed in front of innocent bystanders. Source: Nine
“I cannot predict with absolute certainty what will happen next … (but) we will be relentless in prosecuting and investigating all things related to outlaw motorcycle gangs,” Dawson said.
The McGowan government introduced tough new anti-consortium legislation to parliament earlier this year, but the bill stalled in the upper house.
Parliament has now been extended before the March elections, meaning that the bill, which would have imposed a maximum penalty of five years in prison, will have to be reintroduced if the government wins re-election.
The liberal opposition has blamed the government for not bringing the bill up for debate in the upper house until the final weeks of parliament.
