THIS is the shocking moment a thug on a bike pointed a crossbow at crowds following a row over noise from an alleged party.
Neighbours said they saw “around 50 to 60 teenagers” attending a house on Romney Street in Salford on Monday evening.
They told the Manchester Evening News a large number of youths were seen going in and out of the property from around 7pm, before violence erupted at 9.30pm.
Armed police stormed Romney Street after receiving reports a gun had been pointed at a crowd.
Video footage showed a man on a bike aiming a weapon at people in the street.
The MEN understands the weapon has since been confirmed to be a small crossbow.
It is believed the disturbance broke out following a dispute over noise coming from the house party.
No other weapons have been seized following the incident and the disorder is not thought to be gang-related.
One neighbour, who has lived on Romney Street for several years, said: “I saw lots of kids around 7pm. I heard some noise.
“Then when I came out I saw a lot of them come out. I was shocked. There were plenty of young girls and boys. The house was open.
“They were going in and out. Some of them parked outside. I don’t know if there was some party. There were plenty of people.
“There’s parties [in the house] but I’ve never seen young kids like this.
“They were 16 to 17. They were kids. When I came out I saw a lot of them.
“When I woke up in the morning, I saw a lot of police. I knew there was going to be trouble. I was surprised, there were plenty of kids.”
Multiple residents have said the property is empty when not being rented.
Neighbours said other parties have previously been held at the property.
One claimed the house “gets busy every Friday and Saturday night” with teenagers often seen in the house.
Another witness said: “Basically there was a house party at the end of Romney Street.
“All of them were just being loud, I started recording to send it to my landlord which is the exact moment couple of boys started running.”
Greater Manchester Police confirmed the address is linked to the disturbance.
Officers have searched the house this morning along with another property on Littleton Road.
A cordon was in place on both streets while searches took place with forensic investigators combing the area for evidence.
A 54-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon.
A crossbow was seized from the scene.
Six teenagers, aged 16 to 18, were arrested on suspicion of affray.
A dispersal order remains in force across Charlestown until 10.47pm meaning people can be moved on from a designated area to prevent further violence.
Detective Superintendent Simon Moyles said: “Our frontline officer’s rapid response to a concerning report prevented what could have been a dangerous incident from occurring.
“There was a large group of youths gathering in the area, and officers intervened in fights and helped several young people return home safely.
“Thankfully, no one at the scene required medical treatment.
“Our investigation is moving at a pace; we have arrested seven people and taken a weapon off the streets while enquiries are ongoing.
“A police presence will remain in the area as we conduct enquiries and gather evidence.
“Neighbourhood officers will be patrolling around to provide reassurance to the local community.
“We understand an incident of this nature will cause alarm, and we encourage anyone with concerns to speak with a neighbourhood officer; they are there to help.
“You can also contact a local officer via the Your Area page on our website.”
