A drive-by shooting that killed a man and wounded his young son may be linked to rising tensions in Victoria's criminal underworld.
Rachad Adra, 54, was fatally shot in the torso when numerous bullets were fired into his Thomastown home on Tuesday morning.
Police say Mr Adra had no criminal history, but confirmed two older sons who also live at the property are known to police.
One of those sons, who was unharmed during the shooting, is connected via social media to two members of an alleged drug syndicate and other criminal connections.
Mr Adra's four-year-old son received serious injuries requiring surgery, but he is in a stable condition at the Royal Children's Hospital.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Mick Hughes says police will investigate whether the shooting is linked to another in the same street on October 16.
"(The shooting) appears to be targeted and certainly the viciousness of the attack, you'd think it's targeted," Det Insp Hughes said on Tuesday, but conceded Mr Adra may not have been the intended victim.
Those linked to the shooting would be charged with murder, Det Insp Hughes said.
"There is no second guessing here, if you use a high-powered weapon in a public place death is pretty likely," he said.
