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Witness appeal issued by
Merseyside Police following the arrest of 4 over shooting in Whiston, Knowsley,
Merseyside
4 men have been arrested by Merseyside
Police Detectives investigating a shooting that took place in the Whiston area
of Knowsley, on Friday, 10 April 2015.
The arrests follow an incident that had the
occupants of 2 cars being reported to have been seen shooting at each other
while driving erratically and at high speed around the residential area, in and
around Copperwood Drive, shortly after 6pm on Friday. Police patrols were
deployed to the area and they are reported to have found a VW Passat, that
Merseyside Police believed to have been 1 of the cars involved, parked at
Whiston Hospital.
Enquiries have now led Officers to arrest 3
men, who they believed, have been on board the Passat and a 4th man nearby, a
short time later.
A 24 year old passenger in the Passat suffered
serious injuries to his back, shoulder and elbow and remains in a critical, but
stable condition at another Hospital in the region.
The 20 year old driver of the car suffered
superficial injuries and was arrested after being treated. His 2 other
passengers; a 20 year old man and a 21 year old man; were uninjured and have
also been arrested. All 3 men are reported to be from the Whiston area and
Merseyside Police confirmed that they where arrested on suspicion of firearms
offences.
A 4th man aged 17 from Huyton was also
arrested a short time later, also at the Hospital, as a result of further Police
enquiries.
An extensive Police investigation led by the force's Matrix Serious Organised
Crime Unit and supported by Knowsley Neighbourhood Officers and other specialist
teams is now underway.
Detectives from the force are treating the shooting as a targeted incident
between 2 criminal factions and are hunting for the other car involved and its
occupants.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Pilling said:-
"local residents could expect a reassuring Police presence in their community
this weekend." He has also told the media that:- "What these
2 groups of criminals did was reckless in the extreme and it is only by luck
that no innocent bystanders were hurt. The local community has my absolute
assurances that significant resources are being used to identify all the
individuals involved and bring them to justice. My officers were quickly on the
scene following reports of gunfire between 2 cars and I'm pleased to say that 4
men have been arrested and will be interviewed in due course. 1 of the cars
involved in this extremely serious incident has been seized and we are examining
every inch of it for evidence that will help this investigation. People who
witnessed this incident or have heard about it since will understandable be
shocked, appalled and worried that it could happen in their own community. I
want to reassure them that they will see a large and highly visible Police
presence this weekend and those officers will be there to address any concerns
they might have. We are treating this as a targeted attack involving 2 factions
who are clearly in dispute and they have brought violence to the streets of a
peaceful community. We will relentlessly pursue criminals who use guns and
violence to settle criminal disputes and intimidate or harm other people, but we
need the public's help. If you have any information at all that can help the
Police investigation, please call our gun crime hotline on:- 0800 230 0600 or
Crimestoppers anonymously on:- 0800 555 111."
Parts of Copperwood Drive and Cumber Lane where cordoned off to allow a full
forensic search to take place during daylight on Saturday, 11 April 2015.
Detectives told the press overnight that they are keeping an open mind regarding
a BMW car found on fire in Domville shortly before the firearms incident;
however it is not believed to be the other car involved.
The Police have also added this comment:-
"Patrols have been stepped up and a highly visible police presence will
remain in the area this weekend following the incident in Copperwood Drive."
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