It's awful, I used to be round that way quite a bit as lived on Chapel St then round the Quays.
I have to say it's not somewhere I'd be walking around at that time of night though I imagine probably not something non-locals would know, especially with the McDonalds there and Regent Road and new flats about - bit deceptive considering some of the areas close by. I read they were walking back from town to the Etap hotel at the Quays.
A fair few other incidents round there quite recently too though usually seem to be connected to some kind of personal/grudge/gang thing than a stranger (not that it makes it any better) - with the Brasshandles gang execution then the Wellington shooting and others, some possibly retalliation. The recent riots round Salford precinct give a fair idea of some of the people who live round there.
Saying that, when I lived in Salford which I did for most of the time I'd been here I probably saw a lot more nastier stuff going on than now living by Moss Side considering the stereotype.