Armed police surrounded a block of flats in Pendleton today as part of ongoing raids over organised crime in Salford, said police.
Concerned residents saw Tactical Aid Units arrive at Fitzwarren Court on Rosehill Close at around 12 noon today, Thursday 22 October.
Police vehicles remained at the scene, off Fitzwarren Way in Pendleton, until around 4pm.
Residents were not allowed back in their flats for around two and a half hours.
One eyewitness said: “I was driving past at the time and had to give way to three tactical aid vans.
“One of them blocked the road and there were no sirens so it looked like a surprise raid.”
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said there had been no arrests.
No-one has yet been arrested after the shooting of 7-year-old Christian Hickey and his mother Jayne, 29, in Winton on Monday 5 October.
The boy, a pupil at St Gilbert’s Primary School, was left with horrific injuries after being shot in the leg by an unknown gunman.
He faces at least three more weeks in hospital after the shooting.
Police said no more witnesses had come forward after a city-wide appeal against a “wall of silence”.
Shooting of mum and son in Winton: ‘I want to appeal directly to the women of Salford’, says police chief
The gun used in the attack has been used in at least eight other shootings in the north west, according to police ballistics reports.
Jayne and her son were shot in the legs after answering the door of their Gillingham Road home to two men who asked: “Where’s your husband?”
One of the men pulled out a firearm and fired three shots, hitting Jayne in each leg and Christian in his left thigh.
In a statement today Jayne described Christian as a boy who “loves life” and said: “He likes boxing, swimming and football. I really hope he can do this in the future. He is so happy and enjoys school. He is a very popular boy with pupils in his class.”
One of the suspects is described as being 19-20 years old, of chunky build, with stubble and characteristically “slow” speech. The other man, who is thought to have carried out the shooting, is only described as being white and wearing a baseball cap.
Watch: Outrage over Salford horror shootings: ‘City in fear’ demands police response
Police have linked the attack to a dispute between rival gangs in the Swinton and central Salford areas that may have started over 12 months ago with an “incident of disrespect”.
Police are also looking at direct links between the murder of Paul Massey and the Gillingham Road shooting.
The shooting took place the same night that police announced on BBC Crimewatch a £50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Mr Massey’s unsolved murder.
Read: Paul Massey Crimewatch: £50k appeal over Salford murder
It has escalated since then into a turf war over Salford’s high-income drug trade.
In September 24 people, including a 77-year-old man, were arrested and over 4 kilos of amphetamines were seized after police carried out raids in Broughton.
Eight people were arrested after dawn raids in Little Hulton and Eccles on Friday 16 October.
A further 15 were charged in a series of Class A drug raids in Salford and Eccles on Wednesday 14 October.
Then, Detective Alan Clitherow told SalfordOnline.com: “This series of warrants are just one element of the continuing and relentless operation being orchestrated to tackle organised crime gangs in Salford.
“They came about as a result of the on-going investigation into the recent spate of firearms discharges in Salford, including the horrific attack of young Christian Hickey and his mother Jayne.
“We wanted to show our communities that we are leaving no stone unturned in the hunt for those responsible for the abhorrent attack on an innocent child and his mother, and that we will not stand for the spate of shootings taking place on our streets in recent weeks.”
Main image © Rachel Sarratt – Fitzwarren Court, Pendleton
