Two arrested in fatal Liverpool shooting of Ashley Dale, 28, murdered in her garden

A man and woman have been arrested in relation to the horrifying murder of Ashley Dale.

The young woman who died in a hail of bullets after gunmen burst into her home is the second member of her family to have died in a bungled gangland hit, it has emerged.

Ashley Dale, 28, was not the “intended target” when armed men attacked her in a Liverpool garden, shortly after midnight on Sunday, August 21, police say.

In a Merseyside Police press conference, which aired soon after 11.30am on Thursday (August 25), Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings updated the public on investigations into three separate murder cases in Liverpool.

DCI Cummings issued a stern warning to the suspected killer of nine-ear-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, saying “we will find you”.

A statement issued by the police confirmed officers were called to an address in Leinster Road at around 12.40am on Sunday following reports of concern for a woman at the property.

There they found Ashley Dale in the rear garden of the property with gunshot wounds to her body which proved fatal by the time she was rushed to hospital.

A cordon remains in the area whilst investigations continue and CCTV and forensic enquiries are being carried out in the local area.

Detective Chief Inspector Cath Cummings said: “Our thoughts remain with Ashley Dale’s family and friends following this appalling incident which led to her tragic death.

“Our officers have now made two arrests last night. Enquiries continue to establish the motive behind this attack, and identify all those involved.

“This was a callous attack carried out on a residential street which has brought tragedy to the heart of a community in Merseyside, and we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to bring those responsible to justice.”

He continued: “Although we have made two arrests we still need members of the public to come forward with information too so we can keep our streets safe.

“From extensive ongoing CCTV enquiries, Detectives know there were people walking close to the scene at the time of the offence. If this was you, please come forward as you may without realising hold vital information to assist this investigation.

“Similarly, I would ask taxi and delivery drivers if they were driving in the area between 12.20am and 12.40am and have dashcam footage please contact us.”

Please submit any information you have directly with our investigation team through our online portal: Public Portal (mipp.police.uk). This will make sure that your information is received and acted on as quickly as possible by detectives.

Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.

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