UPDATE: A teenager who was shot in the neck in a cold-blooded, targeted attack in Melbourne’s north will most likely never walk again if he survives, police say.
It is believed that the 19-year-old local man was walking with two friends along Dalton Road, Thomastown, when two men driving by yelled for him to stop about 10.30pm on Saturday.
The duo then did a U-turn and pulled up beside the teen and his friends.
Detective Senior Constable Matthew Thorp from the Armed Crime Taskforce said the driver got out of the car, brandishing a gun, while the passenger came out holding a baseball bat.
The teenager was then shot in the neck while his two friends watched.
After shooting the victim, the offenders jumped into the car – a light-coloured sedan – and fled.
Detective Senior Constable Thorp said a quick-thinking witness ran out to help the teen, immediately applying first aid to the wound.
‘‘He probably saved the victim’s life,’’ the detective said.
The witness also provided a description of one of the offenders, who is described as 172 centimetres tall, and who was wearing a baseball cap, hoodie and dark clothing at the time.
Ambulance Victoria spokesman Ray Rowe said life support paramedics treated the man at the scene before taking him to the Royal Melbourne Hospital.
‘‘The victim is still listed as critical, and he will never fully recover from his injuries,’’ Detective Senior Constable Thorp said.
‘‘Should he pull through, his injuries will still be life-threatening, and he will most likely never walk again.’’
Although the motive for the attack is still unknown, police believe the two groups know each other and that it was a targeted attack.
‘‘As you can appreciate, the family is absolutely traumatised.
‘‘He’s a 19-year-old, who, for whatever reason, was out and about and now his life has changed forever’’.
A large splatter of blood remains at the corner of Rochester Drive and Dalton Street, where the man was shot.
Police returned to the scene on Sunday morning to find a machete and two pairs of golf sticks lying on the front lawn of a house across the road.
The resident, a woman in her 70s, who lives near the Alison Street intersection, found the machete and golf clubs lying on her front lawn just before 8am while watering her garden.
The items have been removed and police are investigating if they are linked to the shooting.
The woman’s son, who asked to remain anonymous, said he saw the teenager being removed from the scene, but did not hear anything prior to police and ambulance sirens.
“It’s a quiet street, and nothing like this has happened before,” he said.
Neighbour Toula Gouros said she did not hear the shooting, but heard sirens and police cars from 10.30pm.
Ms Gouros, who has lived in the area for 25 years, said this was the first time a shooting had happened in the suburb.Detective Senior Constable Thorp said police and the community would not tolerate such violent behaviour.
‘‘People who run with guns need to know there are consequences for their behaviour,’’ he said.
The offenders face various charges, from attempted murder to a single gun possession, Detective Senior Constable Thorpe said.
Anyone with information is asked to phone Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
