Rocco Curra was lucky to survive an August 2019 shooting, after being lured to a street in suburban Melbourne in the belief he was meeting a woman he'd been talking to on Instagram.
It was alleged he was ambushed by Mongols bikies Poiva Sita and Sione Hokafonu, but jurors found the two men not guilty on Tuesday after a weeks-long Victorian Supreme Court trial.
Prosecutors had alleged Mr Hokafonu was one of two gunmen who fired 11 or 12 shots at Mr Curra, after allegedly being driven to the scene by Mr Sita.
Another man, accused of being the second shooter, is having his case heard separately.
Mr Sita's brother, Joseph Opapo, was also found not guilty of intentionally causing serious injury in circumstances of gross violence after jurors rejected that he was a second getaway driver.
Jurors were shown footage during the trial which showed a silver BMW park in front of Mr Curra's car before two men jump out and fire shots into his vehicle.
Prosecutor Neill Hutton had told jurors the shooting was retribution for the shooting of Mr Hokafonu in the foot days earlier.
That incident was apparently in retaliation for an earlier confrontation at a shopping centre pub when a Mongols associate had his "Support Your Local Mongols" jumper taken by members of the Finks as a "trophy" after a scuffle.
Mr Curra tried to drive away but crashed into a tree. He staggered into a property and residents called police.
A witness, who cannot be identified, told the court there had been celebrations at the Finks clubhouse after the shooting.
"There was talk amongst everyone that they thought he was dead," the witness said.
"Hence the celebratory drinks".
When asked why Mr Curra had been targeted, Mr Hokafonu was said to have replied "blood for blood or an eye for an eye".
The three men, who were on bail, walked free from court.
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