Appeal for information following injury shooting in Huyton

Detectives are appealing for witnesses following an injury shooting in Huyton last night (Saturday, 27 October 2019).

The 29-year-old male victim, who is refusing to co-operate with detectives, self-presented at hospital last night with a gunshot injury to his thigh, which is not life threatening.

Officers believe the incident occurred in the function room at the Swan pub on Kingsway at about at 11.34pm. The victim was at a 50th birthday party when the incident took place.

Crime scene investigators are carrying out forensic examinations at the scene and house-to-house inquiries are underway. Officers will also be looking at CCTV from the area in a bid to identify the offender who is described as a white male, approximately 5ft 7in tall, and believed to be in his 20s. He was wearing a navy blue bubble jacket with the hood pulled up, black tracksuit bottoms and a balaclava.

High visibility patrols have be stepped up in the area to reassure the local community.

Detective Chief Inspector Siobhan Gainer, said: "This incident took place at a 50th birthday party in the function room of a local pub at about 11.34pm. The offender had no regard for other people in that room and we are speaking to those who were in attendance in a bid to find out why this happened.

"At this moment in time the victim is refusing to co-operate with us and I would urge him to change his mind. The offender involved in this incident needs to be taken off the streets and put before the courts, he was prepared to fire a weapon in a room full of people and didn't care about the consequences."

DCI Gainer added: "I can reassure the local community that we will be doing everything in our power to find the person responsible. We are relentless in our pursuit of those involved in gun crime. Yesterday officers stopped a car on Bowring Park Road and arrested four men following the recovery of a handgun, those men are still being questioned by detectives.

"At the end of last week 22 people were sentenced to more than 300 years in prison after making the lives of the decent people of Speke a misery through the use of firearms and violence to support their trade in drugs. Following the arrest of those individuals violent crime, firearm discharges and anti-social behaviour has decreased significantly and local community groups have pulled together to provide much needed facilities and opportunities for the decent people who live in the area.

"We are committed to tackling gun crime, but we can't do it on our own. We need people from the community who may have any information which could help us to contact us. Any information provided will be acted upon. Help us to put this person where he belongs - behind bars. If you have any information at all, which may help us piece together the evidence we require, please call."

Anyone with information is asked to contact, @MerPolCC quoting reference number 1089 of 26 October, or @CrimestoppersUK anonymously on 0800 555 111. You can also use their online form at https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information-online.