Tributes have been paid to a “special daughter” killed in a pub shooting on Christmas Eve in Merseyside.
Elle Edwards, 26, who was shot in the head at the Lighthouse in Wallasey Village and died in hospital, has been described as someone who brought “laughs and happiness” into people’s lives.
Flowers and other tributes have been laid at the scene of the shooting, which has also left one man in a critical condition and injured three others.
Merseyside Police have said Ms Edwards is not believed to have been the gunman’s target.
A heart-shaped plaque bearing a pink and green floral design, read: “Special Daughter, the happiness you brought in your own special way, will be remembered with love each and every day.”
Friends who were at the pub that evening described feeling “numb” when they learned Ms Edwards had been shot.
They told Sky News they initially thought the gunfire was festive fireworks as the incident happened just before midnight, but they said things soon changed and “automatically everyone just stopped”.
Asked what memories they had of their friend, they described her as “so funny”, adding: “There was never a time when we’ve been out where we’ve not had a ball.”
Ms Edwards is understood to have worked at a local beauty salon – Nova Studio – which posted on Instagram: “Absolutely lost for words… Heaven gained the most beautiful angel.
“We are all heartbroken, thinking of all of your family right now Elle, thank you for all of the laughs and happiness you brought into our lives, rest in paradise angel, love from your team at nova.”
Dozens of people responded to the post. One said: “Elle was such a beautiful girl inside and out, so sorry for your loss.”
Another said: “Rest in paradise our gorgeous angel. Always in our hearts forever and always.”
A 28-year-old man from Beechwood on the Wirral remained in a critical condition on Christmas Day following the shooting, police said.
Three other men who were hurt were not believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries.
They are a 22-year-old man, also from Beechwood, who had leg injuries, a 24-year-old man from Wallasey with a hand injury, as well as a 33-year-old man who suffered an injury to his wrist.
Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Detective Superintendent Sue Coombs said: “We believe that the gunman fired shots towards the front entrance of the pub.
“We know that minutes later, a dark-coloured vehicle, possibly an A-class Mercedes, was seen to leave the pub car park, so we are particularly keen to speak to that male and anybody who knows anything about that vehicle.”
Police said they had stepped up their presence in Birkenhead, Woodchurch and Wallasey in the past two days “in a direct response to the fatal shooting” at the pub.
In a crackdown on criminals on the Wirral, police said six people were arrested on suspicion of a number of offences including drink-driving, drug-driving and being in possession of controlled drugs.
Peter Rexwinkel, community policing inspector for the Wirral, said: “This police operation is an ongoing disruption to target criminals involved in serious and organised crime in Wirral.
“We received positive feedback from residents in these communities about the proactive police work being carried out to tackle crime, and our officers have been chatting to residents about community issues which they might not have told us about.”
Wallasey MP Dame Angela Eagle urged anyone with information on the “reckless” shooter to come forward.
She told the BBC: “It’s really, really important, if you have any information that might lead to the conviction of someone who has been so reckless, please come forward and tell the police what you know.”
She said there was no proof that the shooting was linked to organised crime in Liverpool.
“We know that for many years there’s been a serious and organised crime issue with firearms involved over the river (in Liverpool),” she said.
“It hasn’t really impinged on the Wirral side of the River Mersey and there’s no proof or evidence at the moment that what happened in Wallasey Village is actually related to any of the gangs in Liverpool.”
The local football club said the shooting had “sent shockwaves throughout our neighbours and local community” and that such crime had “sadly been all too common in Merseyside this year”.
In a statement, Ashville Football Club noted the “horrific murder” of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was fatally shot by a gunman who chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into her home in Dovecot on August 22.
The club said: “Guns have no place on our streets and there is NEVER an excuse for using a firearm to inflict pain and suffering on anyone. We urge anyone with information that may assist police with their inquiries to contact Merseyside Police as a matter of urgency.”
