Police fear former Bandido Benjamin Thornton may be dead following Kirra shooting

POLICE fear a one-time Bandido bikie member may be dead after he was reportedly shot during a wild brawl at Kirra on Tuesday night.


Benjamin Joseph Thornton, 26, who was involved in the 2013 Broadbeach bikie brawl that sparked an unprecedented crackdown on outlaw motorcycle gangs, is missing after reportedly being shot during a mass fight in the carpark of Kirra Sports Club at Binya Avenue.


Detectives this afternoon appealed for public assistance to help locate Thornton saying they have ‘grave concerns for his welfare’.
Police say investigations indicated a group of men reportedly shot Thornton during an altercation at 10pm and fled the scene at speed in a dark-coloured four-wheel drive and dark ute.
Officers have since found a white BMW they believe belongs or was loaned to Thornton but are yet to locate him.
“Police hold grave concerns for his welfare as we believe he may have been injured but we have yet to locate him,” Detective Inspector Marc Hogan said.
“We are also asking anyone who may have seen anything in the vicinity of the sports club especially in the carpark directly across from the club to contact police.”
“We have found some materials and items which of course raise concerns with us that someone may have been injured.
“There is some blood in the area but as to how that got there … remains to be established.
“The incident itself and what we’ve located and what we know now raises serious concerns for the welfare of this person.”


Thornton has been no stranger to run-ins with the law.
Last year, he copped a fine after trying to pass himself off as a police officer from the anti-bikie squad in an attempt to get inside a motel room.


A lawyer for Thornton said his client had “no real recollection” of pretending to be a constable from Taskforce Maxima at the Eight Mile Plains motel on June 30 last year, and was “embarrassed” about doing it.


Thornton pleaded guilty to four charges, including assuming the designation or description of a police officer, possessing dangerous drugs and unlawful possession of controlled drugs.


Magistrate Judith Daley recorded a conviction and ordered he pay a $1500 fine for the offences.
In 2015, Thornton pleaded guilty to public nuisance alongside former Bandidos gangmates George Bejat and Senad Catic for their role in the 2013 Broadbeach bikie brawl.


They were part of a group of more than 40 bikies dressed in colours who walked en-masse through the streets of Broadbeach looking for a rival while chanting and swearing.