The gunman who killed Elle Edwards on Christmas Eve lay in wait for around an hour before opening fire, the ECHO understands.
The killer unleashed a volley of shots at a crowded area near the front entrance of the Lighthouse Inn, Wallasey Village, shortly before midnight before fleeing the scene in a black Mercedes car. Elle, 26, was struck in the head and collapsed, while four other men aged between 22 and 33 were also wounded, including one seriously.
Detectives do not believe popular beautician Elle, who was enjoying Christmas Eve with her friends and family, was the intended target of the killer.
READ MORE: Detectives investigating Elle Edwards murder tipped off about 'wider tensions'
Further details have since emerged on the dreadful events leading to Elle's death. The ECHO understands that the gunman waited in the black Mercedes for around an hour in the Lighthouse carpark before opening fire.
A source with knowledge of the incident said Elle was standing outside the front entrance near the other victims when the gunman began shooting. She was hit in the back of the head and collapsed unconscious, while the other victims managed to retreat inside the pub before the gunman drove away.
Merseyside Police declined to comment on those claims.
So far two men, aged 30 and 31, and a 19-year-old woman have been arrested in connection with Elle's murder. The 30-year-old man, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, was released under investigation but also recalled to prison for breaching his licence.
The other two suspects, both arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder, have since been bailed pending further enquiries.
Earlier today the force thanked the public for providing "almost 150 pieces of intelligence" on the case to detectives, including CCTV, tip-offs about individuals and information on "wider tensions" in Wirral.
The force is still keen for information, particularly on the whereabouts of the Mercedes and the murder weapon, neither of which have yet been found.
Last week Detective Superintendent Sue Coombs, who is leading the investigation, sat beside Elle's heartbroken dad, Tim Edwards, at a Merseyside Police press conference.
Reading a statement on behalf of Elle's dad and wider family, DS Coombs said: "She was only just getting started. Christmas and our family will never be the same again without her. She was the glue that held this big family together, from all of us.
"We will love and miss her forever. Our Elle May, the most beautiful and bright star out there, forever and always."
Appealing for further information today (Tuesday), DS Coombs said: "I would like to personally thank each and every person who has already come forward to tell us what they know.
“This is a fast moving and complex investigation and each piece of information is a vital piece of the puzzle to help us to understand what happened in the Lighthouse pub on Christmas Eve.
“I would continue to ask people to come forward and tell us what they know. Even though we have received a lot of information from the public it is still important that people continue to speak to us."
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