Mr Virgona is believed to run a fruit and vegetable wholesale business and was recently appointed as coach of the Croydon Football and Netball Club's Under 19 team for the 2020 season. He was previously a development coach with the Eastern Ranges in the NAB League and an assistant coach at Knox Football Club. Croydon Football Club president Anthony Thompson told The Age Mr Virgona "seemed like a quiet family guy." "I'd only met him a couple of times because he was only new to the club but he'd been down to meet the players," Mr Thompson said. "We're all quite shocked. He had a couple of kids. It's really quite sad."

A spokesman from the Knox Football Club said it had been rocked by the news. "We are all in shock at the moment," he said. Luke Fulton-Tindal, who coached at Knox Football and Netball Club with Virgona, said the man "never ever hinted he was in trouble". "There was never any concerns, whenever you spoke to him, there was never a worry," he told Channel Seven.

"They’re a beautiful family and to have their dad taken from them ... I just feel sorry for the kids." Premier Daniel Andrews described the incident as "very, very concerning". "However, it’s appropriate we let Victoria Police investigate that matter, it’s very much an active matter," he said on Sunday. "Of course Victorians would be concerned to wake up this morning and see the very detailed reporting of that terrible, terrible incident. Let us let Victoria Police do their job, and I’m confident they will." Shortly after emergency services were called to attend the van on EastLink, police responded to reports of a burnt-out sedan that had been dumped at Mooroolbark, about 2.40am, and a ute found abandoned in the middle of the Mountain Highway near Scoresby Road at Bayswater, about 3.30am.

Detective acting Inspector Peter Trichias said early indications suggested that those involved in the shooting may have dumped a ute in Bayswater and fled on foot through a nearby reserve. He said there was no information to suggest the shooting was an act of retaliation and police were still searching for the weapon involved. He said everything was being done to identify those responsible. A ute is seen on the Mountain Highway in Bayswater. Credit:AAP "The shooting itself does not appear to be random. It appears to be a targeted attack ... and the investigators are progressing a number of inquiries," he said.

"I can tell you that there is likely to be more than one person involved." Acting Inspector Trichias said police are appealing for anyone who saw anything unusual around the Mountain Highway, Scoresby Road location in Bayswater about 3.30am. On Sunday afternoon, police said they would not release any more details or CCTV footage from the attack. Police conduct a line search at Dandenong Creek in Bayswater on Saturday, after a man was found dead in a van on the EastLink Freeway Credit:AAP A section of EastLink was closed for more than nine hours on Saturday as investigators tried to piece together whether the man was shot while driving or in a nearby suburb.