How escalation in gang crime led to death of Elle Edwards

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The death of beautician Elle Edwards, 26, shot by Connor Chapman on Christmas Eve, was the final incident in a series of attacks in Wirral, Merseyside, last year. Superintendent Matthew Moscrop told the PA news agency challenges with criminal gangs in Wirral had escalated in recent years and particularly in 2022, when Ms Edwards’ death marked the end of a year which had In the months since the shooting police have been working with communities to crack down on the gangs operating in their areas, he said. The father-of-two, who grew up on the Woodchurch estate, told his trial the trouble between the two estates was part of something which happened “near enough a year to the day” of Ms Edwards’ death. What happened on Christmas Eve, the impact on the community was massive.” Since the shooting, police and partners have been working to tackle organised crime groups in Wirral as part of the EVOLVE project, which follows on from similar initiatives launched in Liverpool and Knowsley following the fatal shootings of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, council worker Ashley Dale, 28, and Sam Rimmer, 22, last summer.