By Tom Rodgers
Greater Manchester Police’s chief officer for Salford, Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle, has said there is a very real possibility the public could be caught up in a feud between two warring gangs in Salford.
The comments were made at a press conference at GMP headquarters in Newton Heath this afternoon, Tuesday 31 March.
Ms Doyle said she feared innocent bystanders could be injured as two rival factions attack each other with machetes, shotguns and in the latest violence, a hand grenade thrown into a house in Duchy.
“The motive for these attacks is unclear at present but we would be foolish not to be worried, especially with the Easter bank holidays coming up and the children off school,” she told SalfordOnline.com.
“The recklessness with which these gangs are using weapons including hand grenades is extremely worrying.”
Police are now linking escalating violence between two factions going back to February.
A 23-year man was gunned down in the street in Irlams o’th Height at around 12.15am on Wednesday 17 February. Residents were woken by the sound of gunshots on Fairfield Road.
He is believed to have been blasted in the stomach with a shotgun.
Two men were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder and have been bailed until April pending further enquiries.
At around 7.15pm on Saturday 21 March, police patrolling Agecroft Road in Pendlebury came across a man who had been attacked with a machete causing severe injuries to his neck, torso and back.
He has since been discharged from hospital and is recovering.
On Monday 30 March, police were called to Formby Road in Duchy, Salford, shortly after 12.50am after a hand grenade was thrown at a house, believed to be a former residence of a convicted drug dealer.
Thankfully no one was injured. A BMW X5, believed to be linked to the attack, was found burnt out on Quarry Road in Salford a short time later.
A 25–year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and bailed until May pending further enquiries.
Six hours later at a car wash in Ashton-in-Makerfield a masked man got out of a car and fired up to six shots into the building on Bolton Road.
A man suffered gunshot wounds and remains in hospital in a serious condition.
Armed officers today swooped on a 50-year-old man driving a van in Pendleton, arresting him on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the car wash shooting.
Breaking: Armed police close Pendleton roundabout as man arrested for attempted murder
Police are now appealing to the community to put aside fear or “misguided loyalty” to take a stand against the groups of feuding criminals in Salford.
Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle from GMP’s Salford division said: “Clearly there are some extremely violent attacks that have occurred across Salford over the past few weeks, a number of which we believe are between two rival factions of criminals who live and operate in our borough.
“The general public may hear the words ‘rival criminals’ and think this has nothing to do with them as it is simply offenders targeting each other, but the reckless way in which these people operate means there is a genuine risk that innocent people could get hurt.
“The shooting yesterday happened during rush hour traffic in which shots were fired across a busy road, meaning innocent bystanders could easily have been killed and it is extremely lucky no one was injured at all when a grenade was thrown at the front of a house in Salford on Monday.
“We are asking people in Salford to take a stand against these criminals – Salford is a strong community and residents have proved in the past that they have real resolve.”
Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle continued: “All information that we receive will be treated in the strictest of confidence, and we have a range a measures available to us to ensure you are not identified if you speak to us, to keep you and your family safe.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police in GMP’s Major Incident Team on 0161 856 9283 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Image: Chief Superintendent Mary Doyle
