Christmas Eve pub shooting: Murder arrest over death of Elle Edwards

A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder over the fatal shooting of a woman at a pub on Christmas Eve.

Elle Edwards, 26, was shot outside The Lighthouse in Wallasey, Wirral, shortly before midnight on 24 December.

Merseyside Police previously said she was not believed to have been the target of the shooting.

The force said a 22-year-old man from Wirral had been arrested “following enquiries in mid-Wales”.

A 23-year-old woman, also from Wirral, has been held on suspicion of assisting an offender.

Three people who were previously arrested over the shooting have since been released.

‘Great deal of intelligence’

Ms Edwards died from gunshot wounds to the head after several shots were fired towards the entrance of the pub.

Four men were also injured, including a 28-year-old who was critically hurt. The force said his condition was no longer life-threatening.

Opening Ms Edwards’ inquest at Liverpool’s Gerard Majella Courthouse on 5 January, coroner Anita Bhardwaj said the dental nurse and beautician had been a “beautiful young woman” who had a “bright future ahead” and her death was “tragic”.

The hearing was told Ms Edwards was pronounced dead at Arrowe Park Hospital on Christmas Day after being taken there from the pub.

Paying tribute to her on social media, her younger sister Lucy described Ms Edwards as her “soulmate” who was “beautiful, inside and out”.

Det Supt Sue Coombs said the two new arrests brought the number held “in connection with the tragic death of Elle to five”.

She added that although extensive work was going on “from our dedicated teams” and a “great deal of intelligence” had been gathered, she still wanted “anyone who has information and has yet to come forward” to do so.