Two teenagers shot on the street in ‘targeted’ Collingwood attack

Two teenagers have been shot in a “targeted attack” following a 50-person brawl at a public housing estate in Melbourne’s inner north.

A 17-year-old is in hospital in a “very serious condition” after the shooting, according to police, who believe a 15-year-old was shot in the same incident and admitted himself to hospital with a gunshot wound.

Police at the scene of the shooting in Collingwood.Credit: Wayne Taylor

Investigators believe a group of youths were involved in a large brawl at a public housing estate in Hoddle Street, a few blocks away, an hour before the shooting and that the teenagers were shot after the fight broke up.

Police deployed additional patrols to parts of Collingwood on Friday as they probe whether the violence overnight could be part of a feud between street gangs.

Emergency services were called to the corner of Vere Street and Campbell Street about 12.30am on Friday following reports of shots being fired.

When police arrived at the scene they found a large crowd of about 50 young people and a 17-year-old collapsed on the street with life-threatening injuries. It is believed the 15-year-old had left the scene and presented to a nearby hospital.

The shooting was within 100 metres of Collingwood College and a kindergarten.

Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly from Victoria Police’s State Anti Gangs Division said it was too early in the investigation to establish the motivation for the attack.

Officers were still in the process of analysing evidence found at the scene to determine the type of firearm involved and whether one or more weapons were used.

“The incident is very concerning,” Kelly said.

“When we have two young children, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, shot on a public street in Melbourne, Victoria Police will leave no stone unturned to investigate this matter.”

Kelly said it was pure luck that the 17-year-old hadn’t been killed.

“He was treated by paramedics and conveyed to a local hospital, where he is at the moment and remains in a very serious condition,” he said.

Ambulance Victoria confirmed paramedics had treated a teenager for upper body injuries at the scene before transporting him to Royal Melbourne Hospital.

The atmosphere was tense about lunchtime on Friday, with neighbours huddling together on street corners to talk over what happened.

At the flats – where some blood spatter was visible – residents warned people to stay away.

Neighbours who spoke to this masthead described waking up to what they thought were fireworks in the early hours of Friday before fleeing inside after realising the sound was gunshots.

Two women – who did not want to be named as they feared for their safety – said they had heard at least 10 shots ring out.

“We all just grabbed the kids and ran straight in the door. We were outside the front of my house having a cigarette,” one of the women said.

Groups of up to 50 teenagers were often seen running up and down streets in the area, the woman said.

The other neighbour, who has young children, said she saw one of the victims emerge with a gunshot wound from the communal area of a nearby apartment block on Vere Street after the shooting. She also saw blood splatter on the ground.

Several blocks around Palmer Street were blocked off on Friday morning.Credit: Wayne Taylor

“[My family and friends] were all concerned, telling me, ‘Oh, you need to move out’, because I have kids under four,” the neighbour said.

The boys shot in the incident were local to the area, the woman said.

Several blocks around Palmer Street were cordoned off on Friday morning.

Officers could be seen inspecting several yellow evidence markers on the road as they collected evidence from the scene.

A man who arrived at the scene on Friday morning was also arrested and later released by police after they found knives in his possession. It is unclear whether the man, who police expect to charge at a later date, had any connection to the shooting.

Kelly urged the youths involved in the brawl to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers before police “come knocking on their doors”.

“[Hoddle Street] is a very busy street, so we believe that members of the public would have been driving along that street and may have CCTV footage or dashcam footage [that would] certainly assist that investigation,” Kelly said.

Police would like anyone who was in the area between 10.30pm and the early hours of Friday morning and who may have witnessed or have footage of the incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

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