The location of the gun used to murder Elle Edwards on Christmas Eve is still on the streets and its location remains a major focus for detectives.
At a media briefing next to the cordoned off Lighthouse Pub in Wallasey Village, where the 26-year-old was shot in the head on Christmas Eve, Merseyside Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley blasted the "coward" who unleashed multiple shots into a crowded area.
Detectives say they do not believe beautician Elle was the intended target of the gunman and that she was hit by shots fired at someone else. Four other men were wounded in the attack, including a 28-year-old man from Beechwood who was described as being in a critical condition.
READ MORE: Chilling warning days before Elle Edwards gunned down in Christmas atrocity
Speaking to reporters, DCC Critchley said: "We will not rest until we bring the offenders to justice. And by that I mean the person who pulled the trigger of the gun, in the most indiscriminate way, in this public house, on Christmas Eve.
"Also anybody who is responsible for arranging, for facilitating, or harbouring this individual, and anybody who continues to withhold information on who has done this, or indeed where the weapon is that has led to this tragic fatality. We will not rest, we will be tireless in our approach to find justice for Elle and her family."
DCC Critchley would not be drawn when asked about whether the gun was fully automatic or not, or whether ballistics experts have been able to link it to other incidents, saying those enquiries were ongoing.
He said: "We're still appealing for information in relation to anybody who knows who the person was responsible for pulling that trigger in the most indiscriminate, most appalling way. Anybody who knows where that weapon is, anybody who has harboured or has any information at all we still want to hear from them."
DCC Critchley said his officers would be focused on not simply removing organised criminals from the streets of Wirral, but "people who are happy to use the profits to live in a lifestyle which comes from preying on other people."
He said: "We will remove the cash, the guns and the people from the streets to make sure communities can thrive and not live in fear of the small few who carry out these most appalling acts."
DCC Critchley added that officers in Wirral will work "day in, day out" and "go through the doors" of anyone involved in organised crime."
Merseyside Police highlighted work that has been ongoing in the Wirral area to target organised crime, including Operation Presley – launched 12 months ago - which has involved 136 stop searches, 64 arrests, the seizure of £11,000 in cash, the recovery of 12 knives and the granting of two gang injunctions.
The force was also keen to highlight the sentencing of 11 people to a total of 38 years and three months in prison following a extensive operation into an drugs gang based around the Beechwood and Ford estates.
DCC Critchley said: "Yesterday 24 arrests were made in Wirral for a wide range of offences as part of our proactive operation to tackle the issues that matter most to residents and keep our streets safe. This supports the work we do every day of the year to tackle those who offend in our communities and I would like to express my gratitude for the public’s continued support.
“Our work across the Wirral following this appalling incident will now accelerate. The public have been hugely supportive to us and we want this to continue and provide us with any information to assist us in bringing the offenders of this callous crime to justice and also to help remove anyone involved in organised criminality off our streets .
“My message to those involved in organised crime is that we will rapidly be coming for you, you are not welcome in our communities and have no place in society – we will be relentless in our approach to identifying you, putting you in custody and taking off every penny of your proceeds of crime and returning it to communities so with partners we can build safer communities.”
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