A LARGE police presence was seen in Rainford on Sunday afternoon after reports a man was shot in the leg.
A man was reportedly shot by another man outside the Golden Lion pub at around 4.20pm.
Armed police and an air ambulance attended the scene on Church Road, with police cordoning off the area to deal with the incident.
Emergency services attended and the victim was taken to hospital to be treated for his injuries, which are not believed to be life threatening.
An investigation has been launched including CCTV, forensic and witness enquiries.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or with any information is asked to contact police.
Chief Inspector Phil Cowin said: “We are in the extremely early stages of our investigation and are working tirelessly to establish the full circumstances of a shooting at the Golden Lion pub this afternoon which has left a man injured.
“We believe that this was a targeted attack and there is no wider threat to the community in Rainford following this incident.
“Nonetheless, we know that witnessing a shooting in a pub in broad daylight would have been incredibly shocking. I want to reassure people that detectives are working round-the-clock to find the person responsible and bring them to justice.
“Shootings such as this in Rainford, thankfully, remain rare and the number of shootings on Merseyside is at its lowest for 21 years. However, one reckless incident like this is one too many, and I’d appeal to anyone with any information to come forward as soon as possible.
“If you were in the Rainford area around 4pm this afternoon and witnessed anything or anyone suspicious then please let us know. Similarly, if you were driving along Church Road and have dashcam footage, please review it and tell us if you see anything.
“At this early stage of our investigation, all information you hold could be vital to our investigation. Whether you speak to our officers at the scene, or get in touch anonymously though Crimestoppers, please contact us and help us keep our communities safe.
“There is no room for guns and the fear and harm that they bring on the streets of Merseyside and we will do everything within our power to ensure the person responsible is put before the courts.”
If you witnessed this incident or have any information, please direct message @MerPolCC, message ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook or call 101 with log 754 of Sunday 31 July.
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