A man riding an e-bike allegedly fired shots from a handgun on a busy street in Merseyside on Monday evening, prompting people to flee 'screaming'.
Merseyside Police were called to Stanley Road, at the junction with Balliol Road, shortly before 5pm on September 7, following reports of the incident. There are currently no reports of anyone being injured, but police said damage had been caused to a property.
Police cordon and forensic teams at the scene
A large police cordon was put in place around Stanley Road, with access restricted at its junctions with Merton Road and Balliol Road. Several police vehicles and officers were seen inside the cordon, while forensic teams later attended the scene and appeared to concentrate their work around the area of a bus stop, reports the Liverpool Echo.
One witness who was driving along Stanley Road at the time told the ECHO they heard what sounded like two gunshots. They said they noticed a car around 20 metres ahead suddenly stop before reversing back towards them.
Witness describes chaos and screams
The witness said: "At that point, I didn't know what was going on so I just waited behind for a second. What sounded like two gunshots were then fired. It was really loud; two bangs."
"Two people, I don't know whether they were male or female, on big black bikes like e-bikes, whizzed off around the corner. About 20 seconds later, a guy came out of Swift's pub holding a brick, with two other girls. He looked like he was looking for somebody."
"He and the girls were shouting. By this point, everyone had come out of the shops. People were everywhere, screaming on the street. I didn't really know what was going on."
Police appeal for information
Armed police continue to patrol the vicinity while detectives are conducting CCTV and witness investigations. Detective Chief Inspector Chris Saidi-Bidokhti appealed: "We are in the very early stages of an investigation and I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed what happened or has any information which could help us with our enquiries to come forward."
"I would also like to appeal to anyone who lives in the area, who has CCTV footage or Ring doorbell, that may have captured the incident to get in touch. We are relentless in our pursuit of such offenders who carry dangerous weapons in our community and urge anyone who has any information to contact us so we can find those responsible."
There are reports of traffic congestion in the Stanley Road area as police deal with the serious incident. Anyone with CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage or information about this incident can contact Merseyside Police's social media desk via X @MerPolCC or on Facebook 'Merseyside Police Contact Centre'. Information can also be submitted through the force's website, or by calling with log number 745 of 7 September. Alternatively, the independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website. In an emergency, always dial 999.
