Police have launched an urgent manhunt after a man was shot inside a café in Liverpool, with reports "several" gunshots rang out at the premises. Armed officers rushed to Bala Bs Soul Food Kitchen on Lodge Lane at around 5pm on Friday, June 19, following reports of the shooting.
It is believed the victim, thought to be a man in his 20s, was chased along the road and into the café before he was shot, with several gun casings later found inside the premises. A woman who works nearby said she heard three loud bangs before armed police descended on the scene. Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, she said: "I didn't see anything, I was upstairs, but we heard three bangs and then all the police arrived." Merseyside Police initially stated that nobody had been injured but later confirmed a man had suffered injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening. The incident is the second shooting in the area this month, raising concerns among local residents.
One man said: "It is ridiculous what is happening now. There is going to be retaliation for this, it's not safe.
"I've been here for 10 years and it's just getting worse."
The Liverpool Echo reports that on Saturday morning, two Matrix vans, a patrol car and an unmarked police vehicle remained outside the cordoned-off café as officers worked inside the building and detectives carried out door-to-door enquiries.
A Section 60 order has now been introduced across the area, alongside an increased police presence.
The order grants officers additional stop and search powers and covers Upper Parliament Street, Smithdown Road, Greenbank Road, North Mossley Hill Road, Queens Drive, Aigburth Vale, Carnatic Road, Victoria Road, Ashfield Road, Aigburth Road, Park Road, Park Place and St James Place.
Speaking after the shooting on Lodge Lane, Detective Chief Inspector Alan Nuttall said: "Firing a gun inside a café was a dangerous and reckless act of violence where many more people could have been hurt and led to more tragic circumstances.
"The investigation is in the very early stages as we continue to establish what has taken place. The shooting took place at a busy time of day with lots of people in the vicinity, so I am appealing to those who we haven’t already spoken to, please get in touch.
"I also urge people in the area to please check your CCTV, dashcam devices or doorbell footage to see if it has captured anything or anyone suspicious which will help with our enquiries. Any information you provide, however, insignificant it may seem, could be vital to our investigation.
"We know that guns cause misery on our streets and we would ask for the public’s help in coming forward with any information they have so we can find the person or people responsible.
"Merseyside Police is committed to removing firearms from our streets and bringing those who carry or use them to justice and we would ask our communities to help us by coming forward and telling us what they know."
A spokesperson for the force said: "Anyone who has information which can assist officers in finding anyone responsible can contact Merseyside Police's social media desk via X or Facebook @MerPolCC quoting incident number 809 of Friday, June 19.
"You can also report information via the website https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or by calling 101. Alternatively, 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."
