Nine people have been arrested after police investigating a shooting carried out a series of dawn raids across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Officers descended on addresses in Radcliffe, Oldham, Gorton, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, and Brierfield in east Lancashire earlier today (July 13).
Eight men and one woman have been arrested as part of the series of co-ordinated and simultaneous strikes after a shooting in Burnley – while three arrests are also in connection with the death of a Moss Side man earlier this year.
The raids all follow a complex investigation by Lancashire Police, codenamed Operation Callaway.
It comes after a violent attack on Salus Street, Burnley, on February 4 – where one man was shot in the leg, another man received a gunshot injury, and a third man received a cut to the head.
Fortunately, the injuries were not life threatening.
A number of people were arrested and bailed following the incident, and further enquiries led detectives to today’s addresses.
(Image: ASP)
Three people arrested in connection with the Burnley incident have also been arrested in connection with the murder investigation of a man from Manchester earlier this year, Lancashire Police says.
Rhys Thompson, 29, was killed in Crumpsall in May and his body was found in West Yorkshire.
A Greater Manchester Police investigation, codenamed Operation Linnett, is ongoing into this incident.
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Det Supt Nick Connaughton, of Lancashire Police’s East Division, said: “Since the shocking incidents in Burnley in February we have been carrying out a number of enquiries and we reached the stage today where we were able to make a number of arrests.
“While I understand that these raids and the nature of these violent incidents may cause some concern for people. I’d like to reassure you that while this is shocking and very serious, at this stage we believe the incidents are targeted and we do not believe there is any threat to the wider public.
(Image: GMP)
“I would like to thank our colleagues in Manchester for the help and support during our enquiries up to this point and as part of today’s activity which has been extremely complex to co-ordinate.
“While we have now made a number of arrests our investigations are very much on-going and I would appeal to anyone who has any information which could assist to get in touch.”
(Image: ASP)
The following arrests were made in this morning’s dawn raids:
Eyewitnesses reported seeing a police presence, including crime scene investigators, on Hollins Road, Oldham, this morning.
The Manchester Evening News understands this was linked to Operation Callaway.
Anyone with information on the Burnley incident should call Lancashire Police on 101 or contact independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Anyone with information on the Rhys Thompson murder should contact GMP on 0161 856 4815, quoting Operation Linnett.
Details on the murder can also be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Information and media material can be uploaded to the dedicated major incident reporting portal by clicking here.
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