In the early hours of Wednesday morning, December 4, a man was shot in the leg by suspects on a motorbike following a crash in Cheetham Hill. The incident was reported on Woodlands Road.

According to Greater Manchester Police, the violence escalated after two vehicles collided on Crumpsall Lane due to a prior dispute.

One of the involved vehicles, which had been reported stolen, fled the scene but later crashed into a bollard in Salford, where the occupants abandoned it.

The other vehicle made its way to a hotel on Woodlands Road in Cheetham Hill. There, at approximately 12.50 am, its occupants were targeted by two unidentified assailants who arrived on a motorbike.

The suspects approached the vehicle and fired a gun at the victim before escaping in the direction of Cheetham Hill. The victim sustained a leg injury and was quickly transported to the hospital.

In connection with the incident, a 50-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of affray and theft of a motor vehicle. He remains in police custody.

Images from the scene early Wednesday show the area outside a property on Woodlands Road cordoned off, with multiple police vehicles and officers present.

Detective Inspector Terina Arthern of GMP's City of Manchester District remarked, "Since the incident, we have been actively pursuing various investigative leads to fully understand what occurred. We strongly believe these were deliberate, targeted attacks with no wider threat to the public."

She further stated that although no arrests have been made yet, significant progress is being made in the investigation. Officers are engaging with local communities to provide reassurance and support to the victims.

"We are at a pivotal point in our investigation, and I urge anyone in the local area with information to step forward confidentially. This could include eyewitness accounts or relevant footage, such as CCTV or dashcam recordings. We believe this is an isolated incident with no wider threat to the community," she added.

“Please contact us directly at 0161 856 1146 or 101 quoting incident number 91 of 04/12/2024. Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.”