Erseyside police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy has vowed the force will be “relentless” in the hunt to bring Elle Edwards’ killer to justice.
The 26-year-old beautician was shot in the head at the lighthouse in Wallasey Village while celebrating Christmas with friends and later died in hospital. Merseyside Police have said she is not believed to have been the target of the attack.
A 30-year-old man from Tranmere has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, while a 19-year-old woman from Rock Ferry has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder. The pair have been taken into custody and are being questioned by detectives, police added.
In a statement released Tuesday night, Ms Kennedy said the force had been working around the clock to investigate the murder and deal with serious organized crime.
“Detectives are continuing their investigation and will work relentlessly to determine what led up to the Christmas Eve incident and who was responsible for this sickening and heartbreaking incident, which destroyed so many lives and culminated in the loss of a beautiful young woman,” she said.
Mrs. Kennedy labeled Mrs. Edwards’ killers “cowards” and said they deserved to spend every Christmas behind bars.
“The use of firearms, violence and intimidation has no place in our communities, and unfortunately we often see firearms used to solve petty and pathetic problems,” she said.
“These people are cowards, who think the only way to settle an argument is violence, they don’t have the strength or the determination to work things out and prevent things from coming to such an ugly and devastating conclusion .
“Everyone involved in arranging this shooting, pulling the trigger and delivering the weapon deserves to see each Christmas from behind bars.
“We will be relentless in our efforts to find justice for Elle and her family. I urge anyone who has information about those responsible for this horrific shooting at a busy local pub to reflect on the heartbreak and pain that has been caused, and if you know who did this, please do then the correct one and let us know.”
The force said they have been working “around the clock” to disrupt serious organized crime on the Wirral.
Officers arrested four men overnight on suspicion of possessing an item with knives, a public order offense and drug offenses, while 10 house searches were also carried out as part of ongoing patrols in Wallasey and the surrounding areas, police added please.
Tributes have been paid to Mrs. Edwards, who was remembered as a “special daughter” and one who brought “smiles and happiness” into people’s lives.
People have been urged to “do the right thing and speak out” if they have information, with police and councilors warning that people should not “keep quiet” or “sit in silence” if they have useful knowledge about the murder.
Flowers and other tributes have been laid at the scene of the shooting, which left one man in critical condition and three others with non-life-threatening injuries.
Ms Edwards is said to have worked at a local beauty salon – Nova Studio – on which a tribute has been posted Instagramthanked her for “all the laughter and happiness you’ve brought to our lives, rest in paradise, angel”.
The force has appealed to anyone who was in the pub at the time or has mobile or CCTV footage of what happened to “contact us urgently as they may have information vital to our investigation “.
They also urged motorists and residents in the area to contact police using a dash cam or CCTV, adding that “any piece of evidence is critical to the investigation.”