Neighbours described hearing the sound of a loud bang as armed police descended on the street
Merseyside Police remain on Bedford Road after reports of a firearm discharge
A street remains cordoned off this morning after a shotgun was reportedly fired. As snow fell overnight, police were seen investigating the reported discharge.
Schoolchildren were forced to walk past the police cordon as a lone police officer was seen guarding the scene on Tuesday morning. Police confirmed they were called to Bedford Road in Bootle shortly after 6pm on Monday, January 6 following reports a loud bang and shouting had been heard in the street.
A man was reported to have been seen holding a firearm before leaving the scene in a car. Shortly after, officers cordoned off Antonio Street after it was reported a white Vauxhall Astra had been involved in a collision with a parked car with enquiries are ongoing to establish any link to the incident on Bedford Road.
Detectives also believe a silver estate or 4×4 was seen in Bedford Road at the time of the incident and are appealing for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of any part of the incident or those vehicles in the vicinity to contact police.
Schoolchildren making there way to school on Tuesday morning in the snow were told to avoid the cordon and make their way around the block of terraced houses.
One mum living on Bedford Road was leaving the house with her son and told the ECHO as she took him to school: “I didn’t hear a bang or anything, I was surprised. I keep checking the ECHO to see what’s going on.”
Another woman who lives on Antonio Street said: “[I didn’t see the crash], all we heard was the bang then neighbour’s car was damaged. Police with guns surrounded the Astra.” The woman said the road is “such a quiet street as well”.
A crash damaged Vauxhall Astra being recovered on Antonio Street.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A resident, who lives close to the corner of Antonio Street and Bedford Road, explained how she wasn’t even aware police were on her doorstep. She said: “I didn’t even know anything had happened. Oh my god. I came back from work late last night and didn’t even notice.”
One resident described looking out his window to see a matrix van and several other police vehicles. Speaking to the ECHO last night, he said: “I heard a big bang at about six o’clock. And then next thing there were armed police everywhere, about six or seven police cars outside my house.”
Forensic officers were seen searching the road with a torch and police confirmed a spent shotgun cartridge had been recovered which has been taken away for further examination. There have been no reports of any injuries or damage in relation to the incident, and police say checks at local hospitals for injuries consistent with a shooting have so far proved negative.
Detective Inspector Gavin Mulcahy said: “We are in the very early stages of our investigation into this incident, but the evidence so far suggests a shotgun was discharged on Bedford Road at around 6pm this evening. The risks of shooting such a weapon on a residential street are clear, and such dangerous and reckless behaviour will never be tolerated by Merseyside Police.
“We understand the concern such an incident will cause in the community, and I want to give my assurance to those residents that we are committed to finding the offenders and bringing them to justice. We are determined to rid the streets of firearms and find all those prepared to store, carry and use them. They are criminals who do not care about the fear and devastation their actions can wreak on our communities and they have no place here in Merseyside.
“We conduct warrants, stop checks and searches in those areas where people tell us these offenders operate, so keep telling us what you know so that we can take positive action.”
Anyone with information on this incident, or who knows anything about firearms in their area, should contact Merseyside Police social media desk via X @MerPolCC or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also call 101 quoting incident reference 25000015746 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here.