UPDATE: A manhunt is still under way for the gunman who shot dead a man in his Sunshine West home on Tuesday morning.
Police believe the offender may still be armed after they failed to find a weapon at the Allison Street address.
Police were called to the scene after the victim and his heavily pregnant wife heard a noise on the ground floor of their two-storey home about 5am.
The man went to investigate and was confronted by an armed intruder, who shot him before fleeing. He died before paramedics reached the scene.
A young child was also in the house at the time of the attack.
Neighbours have told police they heard gunshots, someone screaming and the sound of a car speeding off.
A police dog tracked the offender a short distance, but lost the scent at the point where detectives believe the gunman entered a car further down Allison Street.
Police have cordoned off part of Allison Street, with the forensics squad and State Emergency Service on the scene.
Homicide squad Detective Inspector Mick Hughes said police were investigating whether the shooting was a targeted attack or an armed robbery gone wrong.
Inspector Hughes could not confirm how many shots were fired.
“The wife’s very distraught naturally,” he said.
“It’s a burglary in the early hours of the morning, I think any normal person if they heard someone at the back of their house they would probably go and investigate.”
Police are investigating possible links between the victim and gunman, but Detective Inspector Hughes stressed that the victim did not have a criminal record.
Anyone with any information should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Sunshine West: it’s believed the man was shot after disturbing intruder in his home. Victim’s family present pic.twitter.com/aguDqLnN2C
— Yvette Gray (@yvettegray3AW) February 2, 2015
