Sydney, March 29 (IANS): A man has been shot dead in the Australian state of Melbourne on Friday, police said.

"A man was injured outside a property on Justin Avenue in Glenroy shortly after 4.30 a.m. local time. Paramedics tried to revive the victim but he was declared deceased at the scene," Victoria Police said in a statement, Xinhua news agency reported.

A crime scene has been established and investigators are currently working to determine circumstances surrounding the death, the police said.

The authority is also appealing for witnesses to collect information.

With a usual resident population of around 23,000, Glenroy is located about 12 km north of Melbourne's central business district.

"At this stage, we haven't yet confirmed the identity of the deceased. However, we're working on the belief that he is a particular individual that is known to us," said Victoria Police Homicide Squad Detective Inspector Dean Thomas.

He told a press conference that the shooting occurred outside a strip of shops in a car park and the man was found lying next to a vehicle with fatal injuries.

"It appears at this stage to be a targeted attack. The deceased is known to police and does have a criminal history," Thomas added.