People ran for cover after a gunman on an electric bike recklessly fired shots at two men on a busy main road.
At around 4.40pm today, Sunday, March 12 a male riding an electric bike discharged his firearm at two men on pedal bikes. A huge Merseyside Police response swarmed to the junction of Stanley Road and Primrose Street in Kirkdale following the reckless drive-by shooting.
There have been no reported injuries and both parties are believed to have fled the scene. Police enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the incident and track down those responsible.
READ MORE: Live updates as major road closed by police after incident
Stanley Road was closed between Pansy Street/Fountains Road and the junction with Melrose Road this evening. Officers diverted people away from the area and motorists were urged to find alternative routes between Liverpool and Sefton.
A huge Merseyside Police presence remains in place on the road. Forensic officers, who arrived on Stanley Road shortly before 8pm, focused their efforts on the contents of a plastic evidence container that was first spotted in the middle of the cordon when the ECHO arrived.
The forensic officers photographed the contents of the plastic container and several yellow evidence markers were placed on the road. Weather conditions were dreadful and police officers were buffeted by strong winds and rain.
Detectives were seen carrying out door-to-door and CCTV enquiries on a row of takeaway restaurants and convenience stores. The cordon was shortened slightly when forensics arrived at the scene and one employee at Torino's Fast Food told the ECHO how they had arrived to find the police cordon around their business.
The man, who did not want to give his name, said food orders had spoiled as they couldn't open the shop's shutters for collection or deliveries. A second man, at a nearby convenience store, said the first he knew of an incident was when police set up the cordon outside the shop's front doors. He added people on the road told him that a man had been seen in the area with a gun.
People who lived in flats above the row of businesses and overlooking the road watched the police activity through open windows. Several officers remained at the entrances to the cordon, which covered several adjacent streets, to reassure those who had earlier ran for cover after the gun was discharged.
Chief Inspector Hamish Rawcliffe said: "The investigation is in the very early stages as we look to establish the circumstances of what happened. While no injuries have been reported, discharging a firearm is extremely reckless and dangerous. I would like to reassure the local community that we are working to find those responsible and bring them to justice.
"We have a zero-tolerance approach to any person involved in the use of, possession of, and storage of firearms, and we will relentlessly pursue anyone involved in this type of awful criminality. If you have any information about this incident, please come forward. If you live in the area, I urge you to check your CCTV, smart doorbell footage or dashcam for anything that will help with the investigation.
"I urge those people to come forward, either directly to the police, or via Crimestoppers."
If you have any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage or information about this incident, please DM Merseyside Police's social media desk on Twitter @MerseyPolice or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ quoting incident reference 23000210908. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers UK anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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