Gun violence in Cheetham Hill linked to two feuding gangs

A teenager's been left with potentially life changing injuries following a shooting in Cheetham Hill, which police believe is linked to an ongoing gang feud.

Shortly before 9pm on Monday evening, officers were called by medical staff at North Manchester General Hospital to reports that a man with a serious gunshot wound had been brought in for help.

The 18-year-old was driven to hospital by men in a silver Toyota Yaris who left prior to police arrival. The man remains there with potentially life-changing injuries.

Officers believe that the man was shot on Spender Avenue in Cheetham Hill.

So far no arrests have been made.

Whilst the investigation is in its early stages, officers believe the incident was targeted and are linking it to an ongoing dispute between two local crime groups.

The investigation has been given the code name 'Operation Heamus' and was launched following a series of firearms incidents which have taken place since the beginning of September 2019 solely in Cheetham Hill.

Superintendent Rebecca Boyce, of GMP’s City of Manchester division, said: “This type of behaviour is reckless and there is no denying that it endangers innocent lives. Anyone who is willing to brandish and ultimately use a firearm has absolutely no regard for the safety of others, including bystanders who may be caught in the crossfire.

“Whilst we have made a number of arrests as part of this ongoing and dedicated operation, I understand that the incident last night is likely to cause concern within the local community. However I want to make it very clear that our top priority will always be keeping people safe and listening to our communities and what matters to them.

“An operation such as this one is multifaceted and brings its own challenges. However we have taken a number of measures to tackle this offending – such as working closely with partners such as Adult and Children’s services in Manchester, in order to disrupt this kind of criminal activity and intervene where possible."

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Superintendent Boyce continued, “As part of our commitment we are also working closely with colleagues from the Programme Challenger team in order to disrupt the activity of these two organised crime groups. This focus means that we are continually supporting the people of Cheetham Hill and those individuals who are affected by these crimes.  

“However, the stark reality is that we cannot tackle this form of crime in its entirety by acting on our own. We will continue to work closely with our partners but know that often intelligence and answers lie within the community and we need the people of Cheetham Hill to come forward if they have any information that can assist our enquiries. Whether you want to speak to us directly, or would prefer to talk with Crimestoppers anonymously, please do so if you think you can help.”

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 1146 quoting incident number 2867 of 06/01/2020, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

• Cheetham Hill