Paul Virgona (pictured) is reported to be the man found dead in a bullet-riddled van on Melbourne's EastLink tollway on Saturday

A local fruit shop owner has been identified as the man who was shot to death on a Melbourne freeway in what police say was a targeted attack.

Paul Virgona, a 46-year-old father, was found dead inside a bullet-riddled van on the EastLink tollway near the Mullum Mullum tunnel about 2.20am on Saturday, The Herald Sun reported.

The car was reportedly moving at the time Mr Virgona was shot.

Police are investigating whether the man, who recently took a role coaching the under-19s football team at Croydon, had been under surveillance in the lead-up to the shooting.

Detectives will also be examining traffic camera footage, which is believed to have captured the attack.

The shooting was a 'targeted attack' and the public should not be concerned for their safety, Detective Acting Inspector Peter Trichias told reporters on Saturday.

'I want to reassure the public that the shooting itself does not appear to be random, it appears to be a targeted attack,' he said.

Mr Virgona was found in a white van on the Eastlink freeway at Donvale about 2.20am on Saturday (emergency services on scene)

Police conduct a line search at Dandenong Creek in Bayswater in search of the weapon

Despite being confident about the victim's identity, including his age, Det Insp Trichias, would not reveal any details.

The inspector would not say whether the deceased had crime links but said there was 'no indication' the shooting was in retaliation for another incident.

There were no descriptions of suspects available but they believe more than one person was involved.

Detectives believe it was a targeted shooting so there is no concern for the community's safety (pictured police at the scene)

There were no descriptions of suspects available but they believe more than one person was involved (police at the scene)

Detectives were also combing scenes at Mooroolbark and Bayswater earlier on Saturday, where two dumped cars were found which may be linked to the shooting.

The offenders were believed to have been at the Bayswater location where a car was found abandoned near a football club and may have fled through the park.

The firearm involved in the shooting has not been recovered, the detective confirmed.