Merseyside’s police chief has pledged that her force will be ‘relentless’ in bringing those responsible for the murder of Elle Edwards to justice.
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said those behind the shooting on Christmas Eve are ‘cowards’ for resorting to such violence and said they ‘deserve to see every Christmas from behind bars’.
‘Elle was doing what any member of the community should be able to do on Christmas Eve – simply enjoying herself with friends and her sister and celebrating the festivities,’ Chief Constable Kennedy said.
The police chief’s pledge comes as two suspects, a 30-year-old man and 19-year-old woman, are currently in custody and being interviewed in relation to the murder.
Heartbroken friends and family of Elle Edwards (pictured) have paid tribute to her, describing the 26-year-old as ‘the most beautiful angel’
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said those behind the shooting on Christmas Eve were ‘cowards’ for resorting to such violence and said they ‘deserve to see every Christmas from behind bars’. Chief Constable Kennedy is pictured in August 2022
Elle Edwards had been celebrating Christmas in the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey, a village near Liverpool, with her sister and friends when she was shot in the head at around 11.50pm.
Partygoers desperately tired to perform CPR on the 26-year-old beautician to try and save her life, but Ms Edwards died at the scene.
Four others inside the pub suffered gun shot wounds that evening.
Chief Constable Kennedy said: ‘As a mum of two girls, who are a similar age to Elle, I can’t begin to comprehend what they are going through right now, but I do know that they will carry the heavy loss of Elle for the rest of their lives and there will always be a major part of their lives missing.’
Describing those responsible as ‘cowards’ she added in a hard hitting statement: ‘Detectives are continuing their investigations and they will be relentless in their work to establish what led up to the incident on Christmas Eve and who was responsible for this sickening and heart-breaking incident, which has ruined so many lives and culminated in the loss of a beautiful young woman.
‘On Christmas Day morning I went out to Wallasey Village to speak to officers and members of the public and I witnessed first-hand the devastating impact this has had on people in Wallasey Village.
‘The use of firearms, violence and intimidation has no place in our communities, and sadly we often see firearms being used to resolve petty and pathetic issues.’These people are cowards, who think the only way to resolve an argument is through violence, they don’t have the strength or resolve to work things out and stop things from reaching such an ugly and devastating conclusion.’
Merseyside’s police chief has pledged that her force will be ‘relentless’ in bringing those responsible for the murder of Elle Edwards to justice. Pictured: a police officer looks at floral tributes outside the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey Village
Elle Edwards’ father, Tim Edwards lays a floral tribute to his daughter on Monday outside the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey Village where she was killed on Christmas Eve
The Merseyside police chief added that ‘anyone involved in arranging this shooting, pulling the trigger and supplying the gun deserves to see every Christmas from behind bars.
‘We will be relentless in our commitment to find justice for Elle and her family.’
Chief Constable Kennedy also reaffirmed that anyone with with any information about those responsible for the horrific shooting should come forward to law enforcement.
She pleaded that they ‘stop and think of the heartache and pain that has been caused’ and if they know who did this to ‘do the right thing and let us know.’
The Chief Constable was also able to confirm that police are ‘pursuing a number of positive lines of enquiry in relation to the murder’.
‘The more information we have to build the picture of what happened on the night the better. I would like to reiterate our previous appeals for any dashcam, CCTV or mobile phone footage from anyone who lives, works or was in the area of Wallasey village on the night of Christmas Eve to come forward.’
Chief Constable Kennedy reaffirmed that anyone with with any information about those responsible for the horrific death of Elle Edwards (pictured) should come forward to police
The parents of Elle Edwards left a heartbreaking tribute to her after she was killed at the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey Village on Christmas Eve. Her parents wrote: ‘To my beautiful Elle, you are the light of my life, you will never be gone’
Ms Edwards’ father Tim visits the scene of his daughter’s death at the Lighthouse Inn in Wallasey Village today to lay floral tributes
Friends of Elle Edwards have since told of the horrors of the shooting at the packed pub on Christmas Eve, describing how she had been singing and dancing before hearing bangs ‘like fireworks’ before they saw her lying on the floor.
Jess, a friend who was with her when she was shot, told Sky News: ‘We went to go get a drink and we were at the bar and we just heard bangs, like fireworks. We had been dancing and singing and now she’s on the floor.’
‘We were so happy. It happened so fast, I can’t get it out of my head. I wish we could have done more, but there was nothing else we could have done.’
Ms Edwards’ sister Lucy lives in Dubai, but had flown home to celebrate Christmas with her family. She left the pub before her sister was shot dead.
In an emotional post on her Instagram, she said: ‘My beautiful sister, my bestest friend, my second mummy and my rock. I love and miss you so, so much already. My Elle May.’
Friend Jess said: ‘People were around her trying to help her — but you can’t do anything. I just felt grateful that I am still here but felt guilty because I was with my family on Christmas and she wasn’t.’
Referring to Ms Edwards’ sister leaving the pub early, she added: ‘It plays on your mind — whether she should have gone home too.’
Meg, another friend who did not give her surname, said: ‘We had been dancing and singing. I’ve got videos of us all I can’t stop watching. We were so happy.’
Asked what memories they had of their friend, they described her as ‘so funny’, adding: ‘There was never a time when we’ve been out where we’ve not had a ball.’
Jess (right), a friend who was with Ms Edwards when she was shot, told Sky News: ‘We went to go get a drink and we were at the bar and we just heard bangs, like fireworks’
Ms Edwards’ father Tim visited the scene on Tuesday to lay flowers among the growing sea of tributes left outside the pub, as her family described her as ‘the light of our life’.
‘To my beautiful Elle, you are the light of my life, you will never be gone,’ her parents wrote.
On Monday, police and community leaders gathered to speak with and support residents of Wallasey Village.
Officers were joined by local councillors, representatives of Wirral Council and the office of the area’s MP Dame Angela Eagle ‘to show their support to residents during this tragic time’.
They called at people’s homes in the roads surrounding the village ‘to provide reassurance and give residents an opportunity to raise any concerns they may have’.
DailyMail
