Two teenage boys shot on Palmer St, Collingwood as police hunt gunman

A 17-year-old boy is “very lucky” to be alive after he and another teenager were shot when a fight, involving up to 50 youths, broke out at a public housing estate in Collingwood.

Detectives will probe potential gang links of up to 50 youths who were involved in a brawl that led to the “horrific” shooting of two teenage boys.

A 17-year-old boy suffered life-threatening injuries, while a 15-year-old boy suffered serious injuries when they were shot near Vere St in Collingwood just before 1am.

There are reports of an unknown car pulling up to the boys before at least six shots were fired at the pair.

The Herald Sun understands the 15-year-old boy presented to the Royal Children’s Hospital with a gunshot wound to his chest while the 17-year-old boy was shot in the back.

A witness reported seeing a young man running from the scene before clambering into a dark-coloured sedan that sped away.

About an hour earlier, a wild brawl had broken out between dozens of youths, including the victims, in a Hoddle St public housing complex.

Police tape off Palmer St after the shooting, which took place about 1am. Picture: David Crosling

Police at the scene in Collingwood where two people were shot. Picture: David Crosling

Police gather evidence on the street. Picture: David Crosling

A massive manhunt is under way for those teenagers, who fled from the estate just before the teens were shot.

Investigators will comb through large volumes of CCTV to work out how the attack unfolded and who opened fire on the teens.

Detective Superintendent Jason Kelly from Victoria Police’s Crime Command State Anti Gangs Division said detectives will probe whether the teens involved in the targeted shooting were youth gang members.

But he said it was too early to say whether the shooting was a revenge attack for other violent incidents in recent weeks, such as the shooting deaths of 24-year-old Lino Atem in Wyndham Vale earlier this month, or young rapper Pal “Peezy” Bidong in North Melbourne in October.

“We will leave no stone unturned to investigate this matter,” Detective Inspector Kelly said.

Police detain a man near the scene on Friday before releasing him. Picture: Josephine Quattrocchi

Uncle Des says one of the victims ran into his property asking for help. Picture: Nadir Kinani

He said it was “very lucky” that the 17-year-old boy had not been killed.

“When we have two young children, a 15-year-old and 17-year-old shot on a public street in inner Melbourne, it’s certainly a great concern to Victoria Police.

“It’s really only luck that prevented two people from being killed, and the fact that the Homicide Squad is not involved is pure luck.

“A firearm discharged in a public place involving young children is just unacceptable.

“This behaviour is extremely concerning for Victoria Police and the community.”

Several shocked residents called triple–0 as paramedics rushed the 17-year-old to hospital.

Friends of the 15-year-old took him to hospital.

Detectives could be seen combing Vere St and surrounding streets for evidence as the crime scene remained cordoned off on Friday afternoon.

Ballistic testing will be carried out on any bullet fragments recovered from the street to work out which type of gun was used in the shooting.

The shooting took place outside a block of flats Picture: Nadir Kinani

Blood at the site where the teens were shot. Picture: Josephine Quattrochi

Police will also investigate whether cars seen near the area at the time of the shooting are connected to the attack.

Detective Inspector Kelly said investigators were supporting the boys’ families after the shooting, which could “only be described as a horrific incident”.

It remains unclear whether the victims, both from Collingwood, were known to police.

A local resident who goes by Uncle Des, said one of the victims ran into his property asking for help after being shot.

“I heard the gunshot and then I hit the ground,” he said.

“He ran into my house and I asked what happened — he said he was shot.”

Uncle Des said the victim “left a little blood” on him before the ambulance came to pick him up.

Another local resident, who was so scared he was shaking and too afraid to reveal his identity, said he saw a group of young thugs with cars crashing into each other, equipped with a machete.

One of the teens remains in hospital with life-threatening injuries. Picture: David Crosling

Police cordon off the street and question locals. Picture: Nadir Kinani

The man captured a video of some of the offenders wielding weapons and screaming, but was too afraid to share the footage out of fear of retribution.

He said he and his wife had already contacted their landlord and were planning on moving house immediately.

Les Twentyman Foundation general programs manager Chris Lacey said the incident showed youth offenders were adopting increasingly violent ways to attack one another.

“This frightening incident in Collingwood is also being replicated across the city and through regional towns, where we are seeing growing rates of youth violence involving the use of dangerous weapons from knives, machetes and now guns,” he said.

“As these reports increase, we will only see an escalation of more kids picking up weapons on the false belief that they need them to protect themselves.”

Police also arrested two men nearby for separate matters that were not linked to the shooting.

They were questioned and released a short time later, but one of those men was carrying knives and is expected to be charged for possessing them at a later date.

Anyone with information about the shooting or CCTV should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.