SA Police confirm Operation Meld is investigating Kilburn shooting

A police taskforce probing violence between gangs of African youths is investigating a suburban shooting that left a teen with a gunshot wound to his leg.

The mother of a teenage boy shot in the leg in his suburban home has told of how the horror ordeal unfolded.

The woman’s 17-year-old son was on his PlayStation in his bedroom, which faces Nelson St, in Kilburn, when several shots were fired at the house about 2am on Wednesday.

What appears to be a shotgun blast left a hole halfway up a blind above a single shot through the window ledge.

Police confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that Operation Meld detectives are leading the investigation.

The taskforce was established in 2021 to probe a spate of violent brawls and crimes believed to be committed by gangs of teenagers from Adelaide’s African communities.

A photo has emerged on social media of four male youths in front of a sign that reads “KBSF4L” in front of the same house on a prior occasion.

KBS stands for Killa Block Squad.

Youths with a KBS sign at the same Kilburn house where the shooting happened. The residents are not pictured. Pictures: 7NEWS.

There is also no suggestion the victim is involved in a gang or that he or his family have done anything wrong.

The front of the home was peppered with holes from what appear to be two different weapons from the Wednesday shooting.

Police spent most of the day taking measurements and collecting evidence from the front of the property.

The mother was asleep at the back of the home when she was alerted by her 13-year-old son, who heard the blast and raised the alarm.

She said she found her older son with a bullet in his leg in the bedroom.

Another teen was also home at the time.

“I don’t see the person,” she said.

The shooting victim's mother has described her horror over the attack on her Kilburn home. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt.

“When I hear the bullet, my room is in the back room, (in the) back yard, then my little boy run to me, tell me ‘Don’t go outside’.

“Then I put him to bed, he called the police.

“I get my son to lie down in the living room. They (shot) him in the left leg.

“He didn’t see anyone.

“You can see all through here – it was his room.”

The woman said she felt scared to stay at the home – where the family has lived for four years after emigrating from South Sudan – and was hoping to be moved.

Her son was expected to undergo surgery to remove the bullet from his left leg.

The victim is loaded into an ambulance after he was shot in the leg inside his Kilburn home. Picture: 7NEWS

“I see gunmen in my country, but here, I never see gun,” she said. “I hear when he start crying and his younger brother run to his room.

“The blood is really not too much, because the bullet is inside his leg.”

Police were called to the house just after 2.10am following reports of shots fired in the area. Officers found a number of gunshot holes at the house.

Nearby residents reported hearing six loud bangs they initially thought were firecrackers.

Several police evidence markers were scattered throughout the front yard of the Housing Trust unit.

Police scour the Housing Trust unit at Kilburn for clues after it was peppered with shots. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Police officers doorknocking Nelson St. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

One resident, who declined to be named for safety reasons, said he had just got home from night shift work when he heard the gunfire.

He said there were six distinct bangs, but kept his doors locked until police knocked about 7.30am.

He described the street as “rough”, saying that arguments were often heard.

However, it was cheap rent with few other options to move in the Kilburn area, which was close to his work.

Another resident said he had witnessed fights in the street in the past few months but did not see anything early on Wednesday morning when the teen was shot.

A spent shotgun cartridge beside a police evidence marker at the scene at Kilburn on Wednesday morning. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Another shotgun cartridge at the scene. Picture: 7NEWS

A damaged window after shots were fired at the Nelson St unit. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

The Advertiser was told a fence paling on the awning of the neighbouring unit was ripped from a nearby fence during a fight several months ago.

However, the Wednesday incident was the first time residents heard gunshots.

Another resident told The Advertiser most of the unrest in the street was contained to one or two houses towards the corner of Cromwell St.

Investigations are continuing and police are hoping to speak to the victim again later today. Officers are also investigating links between the shooting and a car fire at West Croydon shortly after.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Reports can be made online by going to crimestopperssa.com.au

Originally published as SA Police confirm Operation Meld is investigating Kilburn shooting