Home Australia Inside the epic gun battle that allegedly killed feared Melbourne gangster Mahmoud Karam in a Scarface-style bloodbath

Inside the epic gun battle that allegedly killed feared Melbourne gangster Mahmoud Karam in a Scarface-style bloodbath

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Mahmoud Karam, 60, fell

EXCLUSIVE

Ridden with shotgun pellets, Melbourne underworld figure Mahmoud Karam refused to come down.

The 60-year-old man’s bloody death on the streets of Campbellfield last month, in Melbourne’s north, has quickly become the stuff of legend.

Underworld sources have told Daily Mail Australia that Karam was armed and ready when his alleged killers approached him with shotguns.

They allegedly opened fire on Karam in a nature strip around 10:00 p.m. on December 20.

Detectives later charged two men after they showed up at the hospital with serious gunshot wounds.

Daily Mail Australia cannot name the alleged killers due to a gag order imposed by the court to protect them from feared reprisals.

Karam’s attackers were lucky to have escaped alive according to accounts from underworld sources.

A source told Daily Mail Australia that Karam gave his best in his final stand.

Mahmoud Karam, 60, went down “all guns blazing” in his final battle on the streets of Melbourne.

“He never fell. “He was still standing and talking when the police arrived,” the source said.

Witnesses at the scene told police they believed no fewer than 15 shots were allegedly fired in the shooting.

Many of them are understood to have come from Karam himself, who allegedly returned fire in a shootout reminiscent of a Hollywood movie.

‘This guy wouldn’t go down. “He was like Tony Montana in ‘Scarface’ or the Kelly Gang,” a source said.

‘Can you imagine the damage after being shot with shotguns at close range?

“When the police caught him, he was still standing there talking.”

In the film Scarface, Montana, played by Al Pacino, is killed in a cocaine-fueled shootout at his mansion in which he mows down dozens of opponents.

The Kelly Gang, who shot dead three policemen in 1878, entered Australian folklore two years later when they confronted police dressed in bulletproof vests outside the Glenrowan Inn.

Ned Kelly was captured the next morning and then hanged.

For all his stubborn, adrenaline-fueled bravado, doctors were unable to keep Karam alive and he eventually succumbed to his massive injuries.

Underworld sources say Karam fell like 'Tony Montana' from the movie

Underworld sources say Karam fell like ‘Tony Montana’ from the movie “Scarface.” Image: Al Pacino in his last battle as Tony Montana

Ned Kelly became famous for his last stand in 1880.

Ned Kelly became famous for his last stand in 1880.

Ned Kelly's armor, which he wore during his last stand at Glenrowan in 1880.

Ned Kelly’s armor, which he wore during his last stand at Glenrowan in 1880.

A 20-year-old Yarraville man and a 22-year-old Westmeadows man are now charged with the attack.

Security cameras at a nearby home captured the gunshots, and a Porsche was captured speeding away before a burnt-out car was found dumped on Northbourne Rd around 11pm.

Karam’s dramatic disappearance did not surprise those who knew the respected criminal.

Despite his obvious flaws, Karam was considered an honorable criminal among his fellow rebrobates.

Homicide detectives found what appeared to be a sawed-off shotgun, possibly belonging to Karam, under a car outside the Gentles Ave home where he was allegedly ambushed around 10:10 p.m.

CCTV captured this vehicle quickly escaping the area where Karam was allegedly killed.

CCTV captured this vehicle quickly escaping the area where Karam was allegedly killed.

Police at the scene are believed to have found Karam still standing despite suffering injuries that he could not survive.

Police at the scene are believed to have found Karam still standing despite suffering injuries that he could not survive.

Two men have been charged over the Campbellfield shooting

Two men have been charged over the Campbellfield shooting

Victoria Police’s VIPER task force, which monitors organized crime in Victoria, questioned nearby residents that weekend.

Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Kelly Walker said detectives would remain open-minded about the motives behind Karam’s murder.

“The Homicide Squad will probe all available avenues, there will be CCTV cameras in the area, we have the vehicles and, obviously, the witnesses,” Mrs. Walker said then.

“We want to provide assurance that we believe (was) targeted and provide the community assurance that we are exhausting all avenues of investigation.”

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