'He looked at my face, then he fell': Reveller relives the horrific moment a security guard was shot dead at a Melbourne nightclub - and reveals he survived the attack by playing dead

  • Ali Shohani saw nightclub bouncer Aaron Khalid Osmani get shot in the face 
  • Shohani pretended to be dead and fell to the floor after he was struck by bullets
  • He described the scene as 'like a war zone' and was treated for a bullet in his arm
  • Bullets were fired at Love Machine nightclub in Melbourne on Sunday morning  
  • A second man, Richard Arow, 28, was shot waiting in line and is fighting for life 
  • Shooting may be linked to recent extortion attempts by the Comancheros gang

By Alana Mazzoni For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 08:31 EDT, 15 April 2019 | Updated: 08:32 EDT, 15 April 2019

A man has revealed how he survived Melbourne's nightclub shooting by playing dead - as he watched a security guard at the venue get shot in the face. 

Ali Shohani, 26, was at Love Machine nightclub on Sunday morning, when he saw the gunman open fire in the brazen drive-by shooting. 

The reveller was shot in the arm, before he watched a bullet strike bouncer Aaron Khalid Osmani, who later died. 

'He just got shot in front of me. Aaron looked at me in my face before he fell down to the floor,' Mr Shahini told 9News as he choked back tears.  

'It was like a war zone, I have never experienced this in my life,' he said of the shooting which took place in Prahran at around 3.20am - while he was lining up to get into the nightclub. 

Ali Shohani played dead at Melbourne's Love Machine nightclub on Sunday morning, while he saw nightclub bouncer Aaron Khalid Osmani get shot in the face

Ali Shohani played dead at Melbourne's Love Machine nightclub on Sunday morning, while he saw nightclub bouncer Aaron Khalid Osmani get shot in the face

Mr Shahini fell to the ground after being shot.

'I thought they were going to continue shooting so I just thought I should stay on the floor,' he said.  

After being treated by paramedics on the scene, Mr Shohani drove himself to hospital where he underwent surgery to remove a bullet in his arm. 

Meanwhile, a man who was waiting in line outside of the nightclub, in Prahran, is fighting for life in hospital.  

After being treated by paramedics on the scene, Mr Shohani drove himself to hospital where he underwent surgery to remove a bullet in his arm

After being treated by paramedics on the scene, Mr Shohani drove himself to hospital where he underwent surgery to remove a bullet in his arm

Richard Arow (pictured with his girlfriend Rebekah Spinks) is fighting for life in hospital a day after he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting

Richard Arow (pictured with his girlfriend Rebekah Spinks) is fighting for life in hospital a day after he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting

Social media posts by 28-year-old Richard Arow's friends and girlfriend on Monday afternoon suggested he had died.  

However, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Tess Walsh hours later confirmed he was still alive but in a critical condition in hospital.

'Innocent people have been impacted in the most serious way,' she said in reference to Mr Arow.

Worried friends of Mr Arow (pictured left with friends inside a different nightclub) posted about him on social media on Monday afternoon

Worried friends of Mr Arow (pictured left with friends inside a different nightclub) posted about him on social media on Monday afternoon

The Chelsea FC fan's friend Anthony Morello wrote on social media: 'Our friend was innocently standing in the wrong place at the wrong time.

'Your million dollar smile & warm energy was so infectious and would light up any room you walked into.

'One of the friendliest and most cheerful guys I've had the pleasure of meeting... You will be missed by many and remembered for ever as someone with a big beautiful heart.'

Another friend, Pasha Okanlar, blamed himself for Mr Arow being shot as he was not out clubbing with him that night as he often was.

'My heart is broken, brother you were something different like you were a true brother, a real one, always kept it real and kept it 100 per cent,' he wrote. 

'So many laughs so many tears we had my brother, we always had each other's back but on this one time I wasn't there look what happened.'

Mr Arow was outside the Love Machine nightclub (crime scene pictured) in Prahran about 3.10am on Sunday when four shots were fired from a stolen Porsche

Mr Arow was outside the Love Machine nightclub (crime scene pictured) in Prahran about 3.10am on Sunday when four shots were fired from a stolen Porsche 

A third friend, Krystal Jade, wrote: 'Your presence was of pure calmness and positivity. You were truly a well respected soul full of kindness upon every meeting.' 

Assistant Commissioner Walsh said police were not certain who was responsible for the shooting but were investigating links to Middle Eastern and bikie gangs.

'We think this is quite a specific, targeted attack, but we do not understand the motive, nor the people who are involved in it at this time,' she said. 

Beloved bounder Aaron Khalid Osmani, 37, also died in hospital from his injuries after he was shot outside the Love Machine Nightclub
Two other bouncers were shot. Pictured: Mr Osmani

Aaron Khalid Osmani, 37, died in hospital from his injuries after he was shot outside the Love Machine Nightclub

She said Love Machine's owners had been very cooperative and detectives hoped to review CCTV from venue and nearby for clues.

They would also investigate whether it was linked to other recent underworld-linked shootings.

Assistant Commissioner Walsh asked anyone with information to contact police, particularly those known to the shooters. 

'If you have a firearm about you, then you have the propensity to use them. That's why I plea to family and friends of those involved to provide us with information to help your loved one from escalating this,' she said.

Police are hunting two men (pictured on CCTV) seen running from a burning Porsche used in a drive-by shooting at a nightclub in which a bouncer was killed

Police are hunting two men (pictured on CCTV) seen running from a burning Porsche used in a drive-by shooting at a nightclub in which a bouncer was killed

Mr Osmani was remembered as a 'beautiful soul' who was loved by all as friends and colleagues flooded social media with tributes to the 'kind soul'.

'My heart is broken... you were the most kind-hearted soul I have met since I started working at Love Machine,' wrote one female worker at the club. 

'You were everything to me. I'm broken that you are gone,' wrote another. 

Steve Yousif, a host at the nightclub, also took to Facebook after the tragedy.

The car was torched in Wollert, north Melbourne after the 3am shooting at Love Machine in Prahran on Sunday

 The car was torched in Wollert, north Melbourne after the 3am shooting at Love Machine in Prahran on Sunday

He said: 'Overwhelmed with all your calls and texts, nothing but love for you all.

'What happened last night was uncalled for and devastating. For some of you it was a night out, the rest of the Love Machine family lost a beautiful soul today.' 

Police are hunting two men seen running from a burning Porsche used in the drive-by shooting, which may have been carried out by a bikie gang.

The Love Machine (pictured) was packed with patrons at the time of the shooting

The Love Machine (pictured) was packed with patrons at the time of the shooting

The stolen car was torched in Wollert, north Melbourne after the shooting. 

CCTV images show two men running away from the burnt-out getaway car two hours after the attack. 

Police are investigating if the shooting is linked to recent extortion attempts by the Comancheros gang, reported The Age.

Gang members have reportedly caused trouble at Love Machine and nearby Lux nightclub, which have the same owner, in recent weeks.

They have apparently threatened staff, refused to pay for drinks and demanded payments from the venues known to host bikies, strippers and underworld figures.

Love Machine staff said in a statement on Sunday afternoon: 'We regret to inform you that Love Machine will not be operating tonight.

'The events that occurred outside the venue last night have shocked us deeply and we are working closely with authorities to assist with the ongoing investigation.' 

As daylight broke, forensic police spent several hours photographing evidence at the scene

As daylight broke, forensic police spent several hours photographing evidence at the scene

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‘I just dropped’: Man reveals he survived Melbourne nightclub shooting by playing dead during attack

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