State Opposition Leader Jess Wilson attacked the state government\u2019s management of police resources in light of Saturday\u2019s homicide.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is another tragic and deeply concerning incident that has occurred within a stone\u2019s throw of a closed police station,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
A state government spokesperson hit back, saying it was a police decision to reduce station hours and get more officers on patrol. \u201cThe Liberals will take any opportunity to undermine and cut Victoria Police,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n
Later on Saturday, police revealed they had separately charged a 23-year-old man with murder after another incident in Fitzroy \u2013 on the other side of the Atherton Gardens public housing tower complex \u2013 just before Christmas.<\/p>\n
The force said a 43-year-old man was found with stab wounds at a Napier Street address on December 22, but he died in hospital shortly after arrival. The accused in that case will appear in court on Monday.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, investigators taped off the shooting scene about 100 metres from Fitzroy police station early on Saturday morning as a crowd of onlookers gathered.<\/p>\n
The family of the victim laid flowers at the scene on Saturday morning. Detectives were later seen going door to door at nearby properties. Volunteer chaplains arrived at the scene later in the morning to offer support.<\/p>\n
An American university student who had just moved to Fitzroy, but asked to stay anonymous, said he heard the two gunshots before running over to see what had happened.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw two cops working on a guy who was on the ground. They were doing CPR on him for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/c173ed819be28b169b9a221abfcfd3cb7f94d86a.jpeg\")
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The scene on Saturday morning at King William Street in Fitzroy where a man was shot and killed overnight.Credit: Wayne Taylor<\/p>\n
He was surprised to see how long it took for more police to arrive at the scene. \u201cIt was probably another 20 minutes or so before any other back-up arrived,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cops were questioning another kid, they looked like they were interrogating him for a while. Then more people showed up. I\u2019ve felt safe here until now, I guess. I\u2019m from San Francisco, so I know a gunshot sound.\u201d<\/p>\n
Long-time Fitzroy resident Uncle Crow said he believed the incident was \u201cyouth-related\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a tight-knit community around here, and we will support [the family] the best way we can,\u201d he said.
![\"Flowers](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/a4f2e73f207f0719a7da355b39149eeb05067273.jpeg\")
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Flowers left on Saturday morning at the scene of the shooting in Fitzroy.Credit: Wayne Taylor<\/p>\n
He criticised the decision to include Fitzroy in the list of stations with reduced hours.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes it\u2019s open, and sometimes it\u2019s not,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is Melbourne\u2019s first suburb, and it was built on violence and crime. They can\u2019t even keep a police station open with a history like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another man at the scene on Saturday, who told The Age he had been mugged in the area in the past, echoed calls to reintroduce 24-hour police station staffing. He said the popular nightlife strip should have a more visible police presence.<\/p>\n
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However, Meadows stressed he did not believe an open reception desk would have changed what happened early on Saturday.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Richmond police station is 3.5 kilometres away. It does have a permanent 24-hour police presence,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not really for me to comment on what resources we\u2019ve got and what stations we can and can\u2019t open. But on this occasion, there was a member there, and \u2026 the victim and his associate didn\u2019t attend at the station. They didn\u2019t call for assistance. So it wouldn\u2019t make any difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
A Victoria Police spokesperson said the force approved reduced reception counter hours at 41 police stations statewide.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe know the community is best served when police are out in the field detecting and deterring crime, not sitting behind a desk,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n
![\"Investigators](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/6e156db4e8303b9aeb833ab28a4e5116a6deb89f.jpeg\")
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Investigators leave the Fitzroy police station on Saturday after a fatal shooting nearby the night prior.Credit: Wayne Taylor<\/p>\n