Young tradie, due to marry soon, gunned down in suburban car park after responding to friend’s call for help.
Two brothers have been charged with murder over the fatal shooting of 22-year-old plumber Daniel Hussein in the northern Melbourne suburb of Thomastown.
Marcus Jajou, 19, and Lucas Jajou, 20, both from Donnybrook, were charged on Thursday after being arrested the previous evening in Deer Park, in Melbourne’s west. A 19-year-old woman from Lalor, who was detained with them, was released without charge pending further inquiries. The men appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday evening and were remanded in custody to face court at a later date.
Hussein was shot in the chest around 7:30pm on Sunday, 6 September, in the car park of HR Uren Reserve on Victoria Drive, near the Lalor United Sloga Football Club. Emergency services treated him at the scene but were unable to revive him. He died in front of friends and family members who had rushed to the location.
Targeted Attack Leaves Young Man Dead:
Police say the incident was a targeted attack and that the parties were known to one another. Investigators believe Hussein had gone to the reserve to assist friends involved in a brawl with another group. The altercation is understood to have roots in a dispute that began earlier, possibly at a nightclub in Melbourne’s central business district. In the minutes before the shooting, Hussein reportedly told relatives he was being followed by a black Porsche with no number plates. His car was still running when he was shot.
Family members have described Hussein as a hardworking young man with no involvement in criminal activity. The youngest of four brothers, he had recently completed his plumbing apprenticeship, bought a house, and was engaged to be married in the coming weeks or months. His brother Ali said Hussein had responded to a call from a friend who had become involved in a fight: “His friend got into a brawl and called my brother. My brother pulled (up in his car) and they shot my brother. His car was still running.”
Melbourne Shooting Leaves Family and Community in Shock:
Hussein’s uncle, Abdallah Hussein, said the family’s loss was “enormous.” “The grief is beyond words,” he said. “You were not only my nephew. You were a piece of my heart. A part of my life.” Hussein’s father also spoke of the pain of losing his son on Father’s Day, which coincided with his own birthday.
Victoria Police have stated the investigation remains ongoing and that the shooting is not believed to be linked to other recent incidents in Melbourne’s west. Homicide detectives continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the confrontation and the movements of those involved.
The case has drawn attention to ongoing concerns about gun violence in parts of Melbourne. Community members and local sports club officials have expressed shock at the killing occurring in a public car park used by families and junior teams earlier the same day.