The founder of a secretive Sydney fight club is hospitalised in a serious condition after suffering gunshot wounds to the head in a double shooting in the inner west on Friday.
Police confirmed ex-bikie Albert Rick Difloriano, 55, was one of two men injured in a targeted shooting in a quiet Lewisham street on Friday afternoon.
Police at the scene in Henry Street, Lewisham, where a man was shot dead and another man was in a critical condition. Credit:Rhett Wyman
Mr Difloriano was found in a home by armed police officers hours after another man, in his 30s, died from a gunshot wound to his chest.
Police on Saturday morning were still investigating "all avenues" to determine how the men sustained the gun wounds, a spokeswoman said.
But police believe the two were known to each other.
Mr Difloriano is the founder of The Saint Michael Fight Club, which was the focus of an investigation into the 2014 shooting murder of father-of-two Brad Dillon on a busy Leichhardt street.
The Saint Michael Christian Brothers Fight Club had its roots in religion but evolved to have rules and activities that drew it close to resembling a bikie club.
Most of its 20 to 30 members were Catholics of Italian heritage living within Sydney's inner-west who also had a common interest in Muay Thai boxing.
Mr Difloriano was the registered owner of a fight gym in a quiet Lewisham street up until 2011.
The club held fight nights with $60 tickets and an anniversary dinner with the likes of ex-footballer Willie Mason and champion boxer Jeff Fenech on the guest list.
The Lewisham shooting, which shocked neighbours on Friday afternoon, is the latest in a string of similar events across Sydney this month.
Emergency services were first called to the home on Henry Street, Lewisham, just before 1pm on Friday following reports of concern for the welfare of a man in his 30s.
He was taken by ambulance to Petersham Oval where a helicopter dropped specialist paramedics to provide emergency medical assistance.
Ambulance performed CPR on the man but he could not be revived. He has not yet been formally identified.
A woman was escorted by police from the scene, with her hands in evidence bags.Credit:Nine News
Hours later heavily armed police officers entered a nearby home, where they found Mr Difloriano suffering gunshot wounds to his head.
He was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital under police guard after 4.30pm and remained in a serious condition on Saturday.
Police also spoke to a woman who might have been a witness to the shooting. She was escorted by police from the scene with her hands bound in evidence bags.
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Natassia is the education reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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2020-09-05 04:36:00Z
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