Burnt clothes found in Melbourne’s north as police hunt for missing shooting victim

Police are scouring Melbourne’s north for an injured man who vanished after he was allegedly shot during an argument and loaded into the back of a ute.

The victim, a 56-year-old man from Meadow Heights, was allegedly shot in the torso about 7.20pm on Wednesday after he and two other men entered a property on Wildwood Road, Wildwood, in Melbourne’s outer north-west.

Police allege a 55-year-old Wildwood man put the victim’s body into the back of a black Mitsubishi ute and drove away.

CCTV footage released by authorities shows a black ute pulling into a Greenvale service station, on the corner of Mickleham and Somerton Roads, just before 1am on Thursday.

Several hours later, fire crews were called to a suspicious fire on Lancefield Road in Sunbury. Burnt clothes were located at the scene, which police believe belong to the driver of the black ute.

The Wildwood man was arrested by police about 5.30am on Thursday on Wildwood Road. He remains in custody and will be interviewed by detectives.

The victim, who was wearing black clothing and is of Middle Eastern appearance, remains missing.

Police have deployed the air wing, dog squad and other specialist and local units in the Sunbury area as part of a large-scale search across the city’s north.

Anyone who may have seen an injured man in the Greenvale, Sunbury, Bulla, Oaklands Junction or Wildwood areas since 8pm on Wednesday is urged to call Triple Zero.

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