UPDATE: Distraught and angry relatives have clashed outside the home of a Heidelberg West man who was fatally shot on Tuesday morning.
Several relatives of the dead man, Michael Jones, arrived at the quiet street about 2pm, before ugly scenes unfolded.
One person attacked another, and had to be restrained, before a heated exchange with police.
The victim’s uncle began swearing at a female officer and crying out that he knew who had shot his nephew.
Family and friends then sped away in their cars.
The person who shot Mr Jones, in the middle of a street, about 100 metres from his house, remains on the run, police say.
Police officers and the canine unit are searching grasslands around Darebin Creek and surrounding streets for the gun, while the air wing has been sent to hunt the unknown killer.
Mr Jones, 47, was shot in the upper body at the corner of Blackwood and Ebony parades, Heidelberg West, shortly before 7.30am on Tuesday morning.
Robbie Lampard, a friend and neighbour of Mr Jones, said he was a nice man, who loved going for early-morning walks and “getting out and about”.
“He was a really good bloke. If you ever needed anything he’d give it to you. He was the best.”
Mr Jones was found bloodied and dying on the road by a passing truck driver, who desperately tried to resuscitate him.
Police and paramedics raced to the scene to help conduct CPR, but Mr Jones was pronounced dead.
Detective Senior Sergeant Stuart Bailey said investigators were still searching for the offender, the weapon and a motive.
He said Mr Jones had been known to police but had not been on their radar for about 10 years.
Sergeant Bailey described the killing as “brazen and high-risk”, given it was in a suburban area while children would have been leaving for school.
He said the fatal shooting was likely a targeted attack, but could not confirm the type of gun used or how many shots were fired.
“One would think this is a targeted attack … these type of crimes don’t happen in suburbia without some sort if motive behind them, but we don’t know what the motive is at this time.”
Surrounding roads have been cordoned off.
