Seventeen arrests after shooting spree in Oldham and gun attack in Crumpsall

A drugs turf war is believed to be behind a spree of shootings in Oldham. The four ncidents happened between October and December and three are believed to be linked. Now police have arrested 13 suspects in connection with the shootings.

Meanwhile in a separate investigation four new arrests have been made after a man was blasted in the leg in Crumpsall earlier this month.

The Oldham shootings were between October 25th and December 8th. As well as the arrests police recovered a large amount of drugs and a shotgun.

In the Crumpsall incident the victim was shot following a smash. The incident happened 12.50am in Woodlands Road on December 4th. It came after two vehicles 'intentionally crashed into each other' on nearby Crumpsall Lane following a dispute. One of the vehicles was stolen and they both left the scene severely damaged.

The stolen vehicle later collided with a bollard in Salford and its occupants fled the scene. After the second vehicle went to a hotel in Woodlands Road, two people on a motorbike approached it and opened fire before driving away in the direction of Cheetham Hill. The victim was taken to hospital where he received treatment for a leg injury.

A 50 year-old man was at the time on suspicion of affray and theft of a motor vehicle. He has since been bailed.

Today police revealed that since then, four men aged 26, 32, 21 and 18 have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. All have since been bailed and the 32-year-old old man has been recalled to prison for unrelated matters.

In the first Oldham incident a gun was fired on Raleigh Close in Oldham at 9:38pm on Friday October 25th. Spent shell casing was recovered. This shooting is not related to the other three.

The three thought to be linked began with a shooting on Crompton Street in Oldham at 9:50pm on Friday November 15th and a car was damaged.

A warrant to locate and arrest a male following the Crompton Street firearms discharge was issued. At 1.30pm on December 4th, a police firearms strike was conducted on an address in Shaw. This resulted in the arrest of eight men and the recovery of a viable firearm and ammunition inside the premises, along with drugs and cash.

A gun was fired at a property on Whetstone Hill Lane in Oldham on Wednesday December 4th. No one was injured.

Then there was a shooting on Almond Road in Oldham on Saturday December 7th. Two males had driven to the address on an electric bike, produced a weapon and discharged it twice at the property before making off from the scene. There was again no injuries.

GMP said that "for investigative reasons" they were not disclosing specific information around arrests in relation to the Oldham incidents.

Over the past three years, 232 firearms have been seized from criminals, and some of Greater Manchester’s most dangerous offenders have been sentenced to nearly 500 years in prison.

From 2020 to 2023, Greater Manchester Police made the highest number of firearm recoveries in the North West, making up 58% of all weapons seized in the region. Each firearm recovered represents a potential life saved or a firearms-related incident averted.

Detective Superintendent Joe Harrop, Head of Serious Organised Crime in GMP, said: "Our unwavering commitment to targeting individuals involved in serious violence and firearms-related crime remains strong. We have managed to arrest 13 individuals in relation to discharges in Oldham, three of which we believe may be linked and have taken a large number of dangerous weapons off the streets.

“There has been a rise in firearms incidents around specific parts of Oldham and our investigations into these remain ongoing, with specialist investigators and resources dedicated to undertaking a number of warrants and other enforcement activity across Greater Manchester.

"Thanks to our proactive efforts, we are helping to prevent harm and protect our communities from further acts of violence.

"Although most firearm incidents are targeted and do not pose a broader risk to the public, we understand the fear and distress they cause in our communities. None of the firearms discharges across Greater Manchester this year have proved to be fatal.

“Our focus will continue to be on intensifying our actions, making vital arrests, executing warrants, recovering firearms, and holding those responsible for the use, supply, and modification of firearms in Greater Manchester accountable."

If you have information about firearms in your community, contact GMP on 101, or use our LiveChat function online at www.gmp.police.uk. Always dial 999 in an emergency. If you would prefer to remain anonymous, call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.