Four years after Sam Rimmer was shot dead in a Dingle cul-de-sac, police say the suspected killers are still involved in serious criminality in the area. Sam, 22, was killed on Lavrock Bank on August 16, 2022, when two electric bike riders fired eight bullets from a Skorpion submachine gun. He died in hospital.
Investigation continues with no charges
Despite ten arrests, no one has been charged. Detective Chief Inspector Steve McGrath said the shooting followed a gang-related dispute in Dingle. He told the BBC: "I can assure you that the people involved in Sam's murder directly - those four individuals on the bike[s] - are still involved in serious criminality in and around the Dingle area as well. If you think someone you're close to, who was involved in Sam's murder, has turned a new leaf or is telling you that they're not involved I can tell you that's not true."
The detective said previous incidents included damage to houses and vehicles and serious assaults. One incident happened at the house where Sam was on the night of his murder, which police later tinned up.
Appeal for the 'final piece of the puzzle'
Police need a crucial detail, possibly the missing electric bikes, the murder weapon, or witness accounts. The suspects rode through Sefton Park to Woolton before disappearing from CCTV. A black Crimestoppers banner in Dingle reads "silence is not an option". A reward of up to £20,000 is offered for information leading to a conviction.
Pamela Tompsett of Crimestoppers said: "It's now four years on from Sam's tragic murder, his family and friends are still waiting for answers and justice. It is possible that someone knows who is responsible or holds information that could help investigators but has not yet felt able to speak directly to the police."
Family's plea and wider context
Sam's mother said she is haunted by whether her son was scared or in pain. She said: "I know the pain of losing Sam will never go but if I see justice for his murder, maybe the family and I can begin to move forward and remember the happy memories of Sam."
Sam was one of three gun fatalities in a week in Merseyside, alongside Ashley Dale and Olivia Pratt-Korbel. By the end of 2022, Elle Edwards and Jackie Rutter had also been murdered with firearms. Sam's case is the only one from that year without a charge or conviction.
Merseyside Police urge anyone with information to contact them via social media, their website, or by calling 101. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.
