Specialist police unit is on streets after violence
Crime Reporter A SPECIALIST unit used by Police Scotland to tackle crime hotspots will patrol Royston this weekend after the area was recently marred with a violent murder.
Police Scotland will deploy the Divisional Violence Reduction Unit to Royston and nearby Springburn to tackle violence and anti-social behaviour.
It comes after two violent incidents with days of each other in Royston last weekend.
Andrew Salina was seriously injured during a disturbance which happened at around 3.30am on Monday at a flat in Roystonhill.
Emergency services rushed to scene to save the 51-year-old but he was pronounced dead by paramedics.
Salina, who is originally from the Gorbals area of the city, had only just moved into the flat where he was murdered.
Police say he sustained serious injuries, consistent with a weapon being used.
One line of enquiry they are pursuing is tracking down three men who were seen driving into the area in a small motor before the killing and spotted leaving shortly after.
Cops are also investigating an attack on a teenager in Royston which happened last Saturday at around 9.25pm.
The 17-year-old man was walking in Brodick Street near to Glenconner Park when he was assaulted. It is not clear how many people attacked him but police say he was rushed to Glasgow Royal Infirmary and treated for a head injury before being released.
Detective Constable Martin Smith at Maryhill CID said the attack was “unprovoked.”
He also added that there was a large scale disturbance in Royston Road prior to the assault taking place.
The Divisional Violence Reduction Unit is one of Police Scotland’s secret weapons for tackling crime. Officers are sometimes disguised in plain clothes, using motorbikes or cycles, and deployed in big teams.