URGENT UPDATE: Authorities in Melbourne are appealing for public assistance following a shocking shooting incident that left a 26-year-old man dead in the city’s CBD early Sunday morning. The victim was shot around 3:40 AM on October 15, 2023, while standing outside an apartment building on Elizabeth Street.
Witnesses report that a vehicle approached the trio before at least one shot was fired. The victim was rushed to the Royal Melbourne Hospital shortly after by two men believed to be friends or acquaintances. They arrived at approximately 4:20 AM but authorities have not released their identities.
Detective Inspector Graham Banks of Victoria Police confirmed the victim was known to police, although he refrained from disclosing further details. He emphasized that there is currently no evidence linking this incident to Melbourne’s ongoing tobacco wars. “We believe that it’s likely to be a targeted incident,” Banks stated, urging anyone with information to come forward.
Police set up a crime scene at the intersection of Franklin and Elizabeth streets shortly after the shooting. Investigators are particularly interested in speaking with the two individuals who dropped the victim at the hospital, as well as anyone present in the CBD during the shooting.
In a separate incident, law enforcement apprehended two suspects—a 26-year-old man from Cranbourne and a 25-year-old man from Narre Warren South—following a police chase that began around 2:10 AM on the same day. Both men were found in possession of a handgun and are now being questioned regarding the homicide of a 27-year-old Narre Warren South man last week in Ivanhoe, as well as the murder of a 20-year-old man in Derrimut and an attempted murder case involving a 27-year-old woman in Wyndham Vale.
Detective Banks indicated that the suspects may be connected to the earlier incidents, noting, “It appears the man knew the victims.”
With tensions rising and public safety at stake, police are urging anyone with relevant information to step forward. This developing story is critical for the community, and officials are eager to resolve this case swiftly.
Stay tuned for updates as this situation unfolds, and help ensure justice is served by sharing any information you might have.
