Man killed in Melbourne police raid, four in court

A policeman shot dead an attempted murder suspect in a dawn raid in Melbourne yesterday, sparking violent clashes between officers and the dead man's family.

Police from the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Organised Crime Squad raided two houses on Geelong Road, Brooklyn, in Melbourne's west, shortly after 6am (AEST).

Last night, four men arrested in the raids, including the father and brothers of the dead man - 31-year-old Mohamed Chaouk - appeared in court.

The court heard the men were part of an organised crime syndicate.

Macchour Chaouk, 48, of Brooklyn, faced 10 charges, including attempted murder, recklessly causing serious injury and making threats to kill. Another of Chaouk's sons, Ali, 24, of Brooklyn, tonight faced 29 charges, including drug trafficking and attempted murder.

The court was told Macchour and Ali Chaouk attempted to murder a man who no longer wanted to sell drugs on his behalf in April last year.

The court was told that after the man told the Chaouks he could not sell the drugs and wanted to return them, he was taken from Brunswick to a house in Brooklyn.

He was held down by Macchour Chaouk and another man, while Ali Chaouk shot him in the chest, the court was told.

Ali tried to shoot him a second time when the gun jammed, the court heard.

A third son, Matwali Chaouk, 21, of Brooklyn, also faced charges over the cultivation and trafficking of drugs. Anthony, Gerard Philpot, 47, of Bentleigh, also appeared before bail justice Dale Allchin tonight.

He faced charges including obtaining property by deception and handling stolen goods.

The four men were remanded in custody to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court today.

During last night's hearing, Chaouk wailed and tried to break free from guards holding him.

"Tell me what has happened to Mohamed," he said.

Today's raids were part of Operation Vapour, targeting serious crime, including drug trafficking and attempted murder.

Commander Terry Purton said that, at one of the houses, SOG officers confronted a man on the second floor and there was an "incident".

"As a result of that incident, a firearm was discharged by a member of the SOG and a suspect has (been) fatally wounded," he told reporters outside the house.

Cmdr Purton would not say if the dead man was armed when he was shot.

About two hours after the shooting, the uncle of the dead man arrived at the scene and charged through police tape screaming: "You killed my baby.....".

The man clashed with police officers and was wrestled to the ground and handcuffed. His wife also had to be restrained after she confronted police and screamed abuse.

The man, who said his name was Mohammed, was eventually released but continued to hurl threats at police, yelling: "You take one of us, I am going to take 10 of you".

More family members then arrived and another of the dead man's uncles also clashed with police and had to be restrained.

Police reinforcements were brought in and the family eventually left continuing to threaten to take "an eye for an eye".

The Homicide Squad and the Ethical Standards Department are investigating the death - the second fatal shooting by Victoria Police this year.

Police said his body was slumped on the stairwell of the house. Two other men who were also upstairs at the time of the shooting had to climb down a ladder from a balcony to avoid disturbing the body.

One SOG officer suffered an injury to his arm and was treated at the scene.

- AAP