Not even Christmas Eve was spared the shock and misery of gun crime.
Merseyside once again woke up to the astonishing, heartrending news that a young person had been killed at the hands of a reckless killer targeting someone else. Popular beautician Elle Edwards, just 26-years-old, became the latest to lose their life in a horror final third of 2022 as she was shot in the head at the Lighthouse Inn, in Wallasey Village.
Elle's family, like the families of Sam Rimmer, Ashley Dale, OIivia Pratt-Korbel and Jackie Rutter, was left to pick up the pieces. Of those victims, only Jackie was older than 28, and all had many years of life, love and potential happiness snatched away due to motives described by Chief Constable Serena Kennedy as "pathetic and petty" gangland disputes.
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But it is too simplistic to talk about a "rise" in gun crime. In a puzzling paradox, for several years, the number of firearms discharges in the county has dropped dramatically, reaching a 21-year low in 2021. Until August, there had not been a single firearms-related death in Merseyside for over a year, since notorious gun thug Reuben Murphy executed young dad Patrick Boyle in a Huyton street.
While the number of discharges has drastically reduced, the bullets that have been fired in anger have caused unimaginable carnage. In the words of a statement from Elle's family: "Elle was only just getting started. Christmas and our family will never be the same again without her."
On Friday Tim Edwards, Elle's dad, sat in dignified silence at a Merseyside Police press conference as Detective Superintendent Sue Coombs appealed for any scraps of information on those responsible for her unthinkable death. Police are pleased with the response from the community and have been receiving critical pieces of information, but DS Coombs said her team is particularly keen on anything that could help them locate the murder weapon, which is still missing, and the getaway car.
An appeal has been circulated for information on a black Mercedes A-Class car seen in the carpark of the Lighthouse Inn on the night of Elle's death which then turned left onto Wallasey Village.
Three people have so far been arrested including a 30-year-old man from Tranmere on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. He was released on Friday under investigation but also recalled to prison for breaching the terms of his licence.
A 19-year-old woman from Rock Ferry, who was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, was also released on bail while a 31-year-old man from Tranmere, arrested for the same alleged offence, remains in custody for questioning.
Once again, thousands of hours of police time will be poured into ridding the streets of a killer - this one so reckless he unloaded what is believed to be more than 10 shots at a crowded pub. Once again, a family will be forced to reckon with the most senseless of losses, at the hands of criminals who they had absolutely no quarrel with.
And once again, the answer lies in the community. If you know something, there is only one right course of action.
Anyone with information can message @MerPolCC or contact @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting reference 22000948723.
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