Third person arrested over shooting of Elle Edwards on Christmas Eve | UK News

A third person has been arrested in connection with the murder of Elle Edwards, who was shot dead outside a pub in Merseyside on Christmas Eve.

A 31-year-old man is being questioned over the killing, Merseyside Police have said.

Ms Edwards, 26, was not the intended target when shots were fired outside the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey Village in the Wirral at around 11:50pm.

A man aged 30 from Tranmere has previously been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, and a woman aged 19 from Rock Ferry has been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

Both arrests took place on Boxing Day.

Police said on Wednesday they have had “some tremendous intelligence” but are still searching for the gun that killed Ms Edwards.

Forensic officers remained outside the pub on Wednesday and a cordon was still in place outside.

Deputy Chief Constable Ian Critchley said officers “will not rest” until they get justice for Ms Edwards’ family.

“I am 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,” he told reporters.

“Anybody who knows where the weapon is, anybody who has harboured or has any information at all, we still want to hear from them.”

Chief Constable Serena Kennedy had previously pledged a “relentless” search for those responsible for the “callous and cold-blooded murder” of Ms Edwards.

Merseyside police renewed their appeal for anyone with information or dashcam, CCTV or mobile phone footage to come forward on Wednesday.

Ms Edwards’ family has been left “devastated” and “inconsolable” by her death, police said in their appeal to the public for information.

Forensics at the  Lighthouse Inn where Elle Edwards was killed on Christmas Eve

Friends told Sky News they were dancing and enjoying a night out when “in a split second” everything changed.

Meg and Jess, who did not give their surnames, told Sky News they thought the gunshots they heard were fireworks until they saw their friend lying on the floor.

“We went to go get a drink and we were at the bar and we just heard bangs,” Jess said.

“The second I heard Elle, I was like, ‘It’s not, it’s not, it’s not’.

“I could see her on the floor, people around her trying to help her.

“You just feel hopeless, you can’t help, you can’t do anything.”

Read more:
Elle Edwards shooting leaves Wirral ‘united in grief’
Friends describe moment ‘gorgeous’ Elle Edwards was shot dead

Ms Edwards’ sister, who lives in Dubai, had left the venue sometime earlier.

“It plays on your mind, knowing whether she should have gone home,” Meg said, adding: “We had been dancing and singing and now she’s on the floor.”

Members of the Wirral community have also been paying emotional tributes to Ms Edwards.

Wirral Borough Council leader Jeanette Williams said the “most heart-breaking aspect” was that she was not the intended target of the attack.