A shooter is on the run following the death of a man in inner Melbourne, sparking an urgent police appeal for witnesses to the "horrific incident" to come forward.
A man was found with gunshot wounds at Langford St in North Melbourne about 3.15am on Saturday.
He died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.
Victoria Police Detective Acting Inspector Alan Rumble said people were making their way home from venues in the semi-industrial area at the time of the shooting.
"It's a horrific incident - it's something that none of us wanted to experience, police or the local community," he told reporters at the scene.
"Our real goal here today is to follow down, identify all avenues of inquiry, investigate those and ensure the family of the victim are supported at this horrible time."
Det Act Insp Rumble did not reveal how many shots had been fired but said there was no ongoing threat to the community.
"Whether you're a friend or a family or just a passer-by, I can understand it would be a horribly emotional scene to be confronted with," he said.
The crime scene is close to a train station, a major road, warehouses and a creek.
Several nearby venues host events and Det Act Insp Rumble said "emotions were high" at the time.
"It is possible that somebody witnessed what happened and we really want to take this opportunity to appeal for those witnesses to come forward to speak to police," he said.
Extra officers are patrolling the area and detectives remain at the crime scene.
