Bedford Road and nearby Antonio Street were both sealed off by police
22:25, 06 Jan 2025Updated 22:28, 06 Jan 2025
Bedford Road, Bootle was cordoned off by officers following the shooting
Police sealed off two roads tonight after a shotgun was reportedly fired in the street. Officers were called to Bedford Road, Bootle just after 6pm where it was reported a loud bang and shouting had been heard in the street.
Witnesses claimed to have seen a man holding what appeared to be a firearm, before leaving the scene in a car. A short time later it was reported a white Vauxhall Astra had been involved in a collision with a parked car on nearby Antonio Street.
The badly damaged vehicle could be seen sat in the middle of a second police cordon on Antonio Street, its windscreen smashed and its bonnet crumpled. 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.
Forensic officers were seen searching the road with a torch and have recovered a spent shot gun cartridge 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.
An investigation is now underway, with extensive CCTV and witness enquiries being carried out in the area. 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.
The badly damaged Astra was removed from Antonio Street, Bootle
“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.””If you witnessed this incident, or have CCTV or doorbell footage, or any information which could help us with our enquiries then please come forward. I would also like to appeal to any motorists who were in the area, who may have captured the incident on dashcam to get in touch.”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: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously.