Sydney, Oct 14 (IANS): Police are investigating after a man was shot in the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne early on Monday.

Police in the Australian state of Victoria said that a 26-year-old man was found by a passerby in the CBD with a gunshot wound to his upper body at approximately 3:30 a.m. local time on Monday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Officers were called to the scene, and the victim was taken to hospital with injuries considered serious but not life-threatening.

News Corp Australia newspapers reported that the shooting occurred outside an apartment and hotel building at the western edge of the CBD.

An unidentified man who was staying in the building said he heard two gunshots followed by people yelling.

Detectives from the Victoria Police armed crime squad are investigating the shooting and shut down a portion of the CBD in the early hours of Monday morning.

Police have urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.