The family of a "hard-working" young woman have described how they were "torn apart" by her brutal murder after a gunman burst into her home and sprayed bullets "indiscriminately".
Ashley Dale, 28, was shot dead in Leinster Road, Old Swan shortly after 12.30am on Sunday. Merseyside Police say it is not believed she was the intended target of the unknown "callous and mindless thugs" who forced open her front door.
This afternoon her heartbroken family paid tribute to the Knowsley Council civil servant in a moving statement, issued via Merseyside Police. The family said: "Ashley, our girl – our shining light. Our hearts are broken into a million pieces. Ashley was a hard working young woman, who had her entire life ahead of her.
READ MORE: Killer 'burst through woman's front door' and shot her dead
"She had just been promoted at her job with Knowsley Council. She had a degree and so many plans for her bright future that had only just begun. Her laugh, smile and energy was infectious in any room.
"We can’t come to terms with how this would happen to a defenceless woman in her own home. None of this makes sense and our lives will never be the same again. A senseless crime that has torn a family apart.
"Justice needs to be brought."
Merseyside Police received calls from concerned members of the public at 12.40am on Sunday, reporting the sound of what they believed were gunshots or fireworks. Officers responded and found Ashley in the rear garden of the property with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead in hospital.
The horrific incident comes four days after the death of 22-year-old Sam Rimmer, who was shot dead in Dingle on Tuesday night (August 16). Mr Rimmer's death was the first murder involving a firearm in Merseyside in more than a year.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen, head of investigations at Merseyside Police, told the ECHO: "Ashley lived there largely on her own, and what we know at this time is that the front door of that property was forced open by the offender or offenders outside. A firearm was then indiscriminately discharged on multiple occasions inside.
"Ashley was inside, exactly where she should be, enjoying her Saturday evening and Sunday morning, and she was hit by one of those shots. That proved fatal despite the very best efforts of Merseyside Police and then the North West Ambulance Service.
"Merseyside Police is incredibly shocked, both to have this crime and the fact is a second firearms discharge homicide in such a short space of time. We are supporting Ashley's family as I am sure the communities recognise, and our thoughts go out to her mum, dad and wider family at this incredibly difficult time."
DCS Kameen said his team believes Ashley was home alone at the time of the killing, although he stressed the investigation is in its earliest stages and detectives are open minded to new information and theories.
He confirmed the force had examined any potential links between the murder of Miss Dale and Mr Rimmer, but said there was no evidence to suggest any connection between the two incidents.
DCS Kameen said the type of gun used to shoot Miss Dale is not yet known, although it was not a shotgun type firearm. The force has sent bullet casings from the scene off for examination, and will work with the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) to identify what kind of weapon was used and whether it had been fired in any other criminal incidents.
When asked why the force believed the address was targeted, he said: "It's very early stages of the investigation as I am sure everyone can appreciate.
"At this moment in time our position is we do not believe Ashley was the target of this attack. Ashley worked for Knowsley Council, she had recently had a promotion, she had graduated, she had her whole career in front of her, and her whole life in front of her.
"She was a young, innocent woman enjoying her life. So we do not believe, at this time, that Ashley was in any way involved in this. We believe the property was being targeted. And the reasons for that are part of our investigation now as we move forward.
"So what I am appealing for at this stage is anybody who was in that area, Leinster Road, around half past 12 in the early hours of Sunday, or Oakhill Road, or the surrounding area, if you can come forward. Even if you're not certain that you have any information just speak to a detective around what you were doing there and you may well provide us with some vital information.
"I am once again asking for any dashcam footage, any footage from doorbells or from private CCTV. Anything that people holds that helps us identify how the offenders arrived and left and how many of them there were and what took place in the address."
Anyone with any CCTV, dashcam, doorbell camera or any other type of footage which may assist the investigation into the death of Miss Dale is urged to upload it directly to Merseyside Police using this online portal.
You can also contact the force via social media @MerPolCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 22000615873
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