Detectives from the Homicide Squad have arrested nine males over the last two days as part of their investigation into an incident in Wyndham Vale in February where two men were killed and one was seriously injured.
With assistance from Gang Crime Squad, the VIPER Taskforce, the Dog Squad, Westgate Divisional Response Unit, Brimbank and Melton Offender Management Team and the North West Metro Regional Crime Squad, twelve warrants were executed at addresses in Tarneit, Kings Park, Keilor Downs, Fraser Rise, Burnside Heights, Brookfield, Fitzroy North, St Albans (2), Cobblebank, Derrimut and Hallam.
A total of nine men were arrested over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday, including:
• A 22-year-old Tarneit man,
• A 17-year-old boy from Tarneit,
• An 18-year-old Kings Park man,
• A 19-year-old Keilor Downs man,
• A 20-year-old Fraser Rise man,
• A 20-year-old Brookfield man,
• A 21-year-old Fitzroy North man,
• A 22-year-old Derrimut man and
• A 21-year-old Hallam man.
All nine were interviewed by police and released pending further enquiries.
The arrests follow an incident on 11 February where two men were killed and one was seriously injured.
Emergency services were called to a property on Carmichael Drive following reports of a stabbing and the discharge of firearms.
Two men were located at the property with fatal wounds, while a third man was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The two men killed have since been identified as 29-year-old Atem Atem and 22-year-old Ayuel Akuei, both from Wyndham Vale.
A 23-year-old Wyndham Vale man was also transported to hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The two other residents who were in the garage at the time were not physically injured, however a pet dog at the premises was fatally shot.
Two adults and four children who were elsewhere in the house at the time were also not physically injured.
Detectives believe that this was a deliberate attack on this address and are continuing to treat it as gang-related. However, they now believe those killed and injured were likely not the planned targets of the attack.
A significant investigation has been underway since the incident occurred, involving specialist investigators from the Homicide Squad and Gang Crime Squad, as well as local police.
Police have spoken with a large number of people and also reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage in an attempt to determine what the motive was for the incident and identify those responsible.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with further information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
