MELBOURNE, VICTORIA – Authorities are searching for a gunman following a suspected targeted fatal shooting of a 21-year-old man in Wollert, Melbourne’s outer north.
The incident occurred just before 9 am on Thursday when emergency services responded to reports of a shooting near Champions Parade, Wollert.
Police believe the victim was approached and shot by another male in a laneway behind a residential address.
He was declared dead at the scene.
According to Detective Inspector Dean Thomas, the shooting appears deliberate and targeted, and investigators are exploring all possibilities.
The shooter is believed to have fled the scene in a vehicle, and police are also investigating whether a burnt-out vehicle discovered in Amery Street, Reservoir, is linked to the shooting.
In a separate development, police have charged five men with murder over a fatal shooting in a Craigieburn car park in October 2023.
The group, aged between 26 and 33, allegedly carried out the daylight shooting of Melbourne man Robert Issa, 27, who was sitting in a white Mercedes station wagon outside the Craigieburn Central shopping centre.
The incident occurred in broad daylight, and police believe it was a targeted attack involving organised crime figures.
Detective Inspector Thomas appealed to the public for information, stating that the arrests are a significant turning point in the investigation, but they are only the beginning.
He emphasized that police believe there are people higher up the chain who ordered and paid for the attack, and they are keeping an open mind regarding the motive.
The five accused are expected to appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday afternoon.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on `1800 333 000` or submit a report online.