Fresh plea to trace suspect in town gun horror
AMAN who was shot in the head on a busy Southport street has been released from hospital – but the attacker is still on the loose.
Christopher Jopson was fired at with a shotgun in Eastbank Street in the town centre on December 21, in front of hundreds of shocked Christmas shoppers.
Mr Jopson, who is in his 20s, was not seriously injured and he has now been released from hospital.
The incident happened at about 12.30pm, when a gunman opened fire at Mr Jopson.
A bus driver was also caught in the blast, suffering very minor injuries.
Detectives say that they believe the potentially deadly weapon was fired at the victim from about a “road’s width” away – spraying pellets across a street packed with families enjoying Christmas shopping in the town.
The attack led to a major police response.
Police later released a CCTV image of a man they wished to speak with in relation to the incident, which they said was a “targeted shooting”.
The image shows a man on a bike, pictured in Southport town centre.
Police described him as being a white male, approximately 5ft 11in, and 19-20 years of age.
He was wearing a dark puffa-style jacket with the hood pulled up tightly around his head, a black scarf covering his face and grey jogging bottoms.
Police said he was seen travelling along King Street towards Eastbank Street on a dark mountain bike with distinctive green handlebars prior to the shooting.
After the attack he rode off on the same bike along Eastbank Street, and was last spotted on Princes Street.
No arrest has yet been made, but the investigation is still ongoing.
Det Insp Richie Jones has appealed for people with dashcam or mobile phone footage of the shooting to come forward.
Anyone with information is asked to contact officers on the gun crime hotline on 0800 2300600 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.
Information can also be provided via their online form: https:// crimestoppers-uk.org/giveinformation/ give- informationonline.