Armed police swarmed a street in a major UK city after shots were reportedly fired in the street. The community in Toxteth, Liverpool, was rocked on Friday, December 12, as police swooped in following reports a man on a bike shot three people in the road.
Police arrived at the scene in Thames Street just before 3.55pm today. The suspect and the three people left the area, police said. An investigation has been launched and officers remain at the scene to carry out CCTV, forensic and house-to-house enquiries to speak to the local community.
A large cordon, stretching from Kinglsey Road at the junction with Beaconsfield Street and Thames Street, was put in place.
A local newsagents was also included in the cordon, as were several houses.
Police officers were seen guarding the area near the top and bottom of the street, the Liverpool Echo reports.
Only residents living in properties within the cordon could come and go, as long as they notified police of their presence. Others were turned away and told to walk around.
One resident told our sister title: "I'd just got home from work and there was armed police everywhere. I don't have a clue what's happened."
Merseyside Police has appealed for anyone with any information to come forward, with Inspector Matthew Farmer saying: “We are in the very early stages of an investigation into this incident and I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed what happened on Thames Street, saw the man on a pedal bike shortly after, or has any information which could help us with our ongoing enquiries to come forward.
“I would also like to appeal to anyone who lives in the area, who has CCTV footage that may have captured the incident to get in touch. Our officers immediately respond to incidents such as these and I would like to reassure residents that we are actively working to make Merseyside a safer place to live and work.
“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.”
