Trio arrested after fatal shooting of 'completely innocent' young tradie
Three men have been arrested following the fatal shooting Adrian Pacione, who police described as a completely innocent, honest and hard-working young tradie, in Melbourne's north earlier this year.
Homicide detectives, with the help of the heavily armed Special Operations Group, arrested the trio in raids at three homes in Greenvale, Meadow Heights and Roxburgh Park from 6.15am on Wednesday.
Adrian Pacione and CCTV of a car thought to be linked to the shooting
A 21-year-old Greenvale man, a 21-year-old Meadow Heights man and an 18-year-old Roxburgh Park man will be interviewed by police.
Mr Pacione, 20, was visiting a friend in Ella Court, Lalor, on July 18 to support them after the death of a family member when a number of unknown men tried to force their way into the house just after 10.30pm.
When they couldn't get in, police said one of the masked men fired multiple shots from a high-powered gun through a front window of the house. One shot struck Mr Pacione in the head as he sat watching a movie in a back room of the house.
The third-year apprentice was rushed to hospital but died two days later.
Three other men who were inside the house at the time of the shooting were not injured.
The arrests come just a fortnight after police made a public appeal for information to help catch those responsible for the young tradie's death and released CCTV images of a car seen in the street after the shooting.
At the time police said Mr Pacione was a "completely innocent" man who was shot in the head as a result of a dispute police believe he had no part in.
Victim Adrian Pacione, shot dead at Lalor in July. Credit:
The high-powered rounds were of such force they travelled through a front room window, through an internal wall and into a rear room where Mr Pacione was struck.
Others travelled further – out through the back of the home, into the backyard and through a neighbouring backyard before being lodged in the house behind.
Mr Pacione was not the intended target and was not involved in any fight, Detective Inspector Andrew Stamper said.
"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now he’s dead because of an evil act," he said.
"Adrian was an honest and hard-working third-year apprentice in sheet metal fabrication who was still very young and had his whole life ahead of him. He was involved in local sports and gaming was his passion."
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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Erin covers crime for The Age. Most recently she was a police reporter at the Geelong Advertiser.