Detectives from the Armed Crime Squad have charged a man with attempted murder following a series of arrests this morning as part of their investigation into the non-fatal shooting of a man in Fawkner in June.
An 18-year-old Epping man has this afternoon been charged with attempted murder, non prohibited person possess firearm, theft of motor vehicle and drive whilst suspended.
He will face Melbourne Magistrates' Court this afternoon.
An 18-year-old Lalor man, 20-year-old Meadow Heights woman, 24-year-old Meadow Heights man, 20-year-old Docklands man and a 19-year-old Greenvale man were all arrested.
They have been interviewed by police and released pending further enquiries.
The investigation remains ongoing and police will work with our partner agencies in relation to two men detectives believe were involved in the shooting but have since fled overseas.
Warrants were executed from 8.30am this morning at residential properties in Epping, Lalor, Craigieburn, Meadow Heights, Docklands and Greenvale by members of the Armed Crime Squad and VIPER Taskforce.
Police also seized a number of items during the warrants including a silver Subaru.
Today's arrests follow an incident on 25 June in Fawkner where a 30-year-old Preston man was shot.
The man was travelling in a Mercedes station wagon along Box Forest Road when a number of shots were fired into his vehicle from a Mazda SUV about 12pm.
The Mazda SUV then attempted to flee the area however the driver crashed into a fire hydrant and pole further along Box Forest Road, near Sydney Road.
The two male occupants ran from the damaged vehicle and carjacked a nearby Ford Territory before driving off.
The carjacking victims, a female driver and child, were not physically injured during the incident.
The Preston man then attended Fawkner Police Station with gunshot wounds and was subsequently transported to hospital in a critical condition.
Detectives believe the shooting was a targeted attack and the investigation into the matter remains ongoing.
Earlier this month police released CCTV and images of two men seen in the area shortly after the shooting and car jacking, as well as a black Ford Fiesta detectives believe is connected to the shooting.
Police are still keen to hear from anyone who might have any information on the men in these images or the vehicle.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.auExternal Link
Quotes attributable to Detective Inspector Mark Hatt, OIC Armed Crime Squad:
"Today's arrests are as a result of an exhaustive two-month investigation by detectives from the Armed Crime Squad and I will make it clear that this investigation is far from over.
"I know this shooting and subsequent car jacking caused significant community concern, as is often the case when we see incidents of significant violence play out so publicly.
"I want to assure people that police are doing everything we can to hold all of those involved in this incident to account, no matter what role they may have played.
"We're also working in conjunction with the VIPER Taskforce to do everything we can to prevent any kind of retaliatory action arising from this.
"If there are people out there with information about the incident who are yet to come forward, I'd again appeal to those people to contact police and as always, this can be done anonymously."
