THE manager of a Hallam gym which was the scene of a drive-by shooting and a bomb scare on Monday has moved to distance the business from police claims that it is owned by an outlaw motorcycle gang.
Nitro Gym promotions manager Mike Jones said the gym was not owned by bikies. He said it was owned by a Western Australian businessman.
“The gym’s not owned by bikies but anyone’s welcome to train there,” he said.
According to Australian Securities and Investments Commission documents, Michael Murray, the Comancheros state president, was the sole listed director and shareholder of Nitro Gym Pty Ltd up until the company’s voluntary deregistration in July 2008.
The company’s principal place of business was listed as the gym’s current address at Princes Highway Hallam.
Mr Murray was an interested onlooker on Monday, speaking to police at the scene as bomb squad members and robots worked to defuse the two home-made bombs thrown through the gym’s front windows.
Victoria Police Acting Deputy Commissioner Steve Fontana said Nitro Gym in Hallam and the Dandenong tattoo parlour – formerly Nitro Ink – were owned by a Comancheros bikie gang office-bearer.
ADC Fontana said Hells Angels’ members were suspected to be responsible, using “high-powered military-style weapons” to shoot up the premises as well as motorcycle gang Rock Machine’s clubhouse in Clayton South and a Bandidos clubhouse in Dandenong in recent weeks.
ADC Fontana called for public help to locate the weapons, fearing an innocent bystander as well as the intended targets could be killed.
He also feared there would be retaliation. A Hells Angels’ Darkside chapter clubhouse in Seaford was shot up on Monday night.
“We are not going to stand by and let bikies bring firearms and violence into our community and place innocent people and police at risk,” ADC Fontana said.
On Tuesday police arrested eight bikie gang members affiliated with the Comancheros and Hells Angels in raids made by the Echo Taskforce across Melbourne.
The men were charged with drug, weapons and assault related offences and remanded in custody pending court appearances on Wednesday.
