Shotgun Found In Lewis Dunne Murder Investigation
Detectives investigating the murder of 16-year-old Lewis Dunne have found the gun believed to have been used to commit the murder in November last year and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.
The shotgun was found by officers from the specialist underwater search team during a search of the Leeds/Liverpool canal near to Sandhills. A search of the canal has been ongoing for the last week following information received from the community and evidence gathered by the investigation team. The search of the canal is ongoing and will continue in the coming days.
The shotgun has been sent off for forensic examination in a bid to identify the offenders.
Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward but are particularly interested in anyone who may have seen anybody acting suspiciously on the canal towpath near to Sandhills in the hours or days after the murder to come forward.
Lewis Dunne was murdered at about 11.10pm on Sunday, 15 November, last year on a towpath near Burrows Court, Eldonian Village
Detective Chief Inspector Tom Keaton, said: "We are following up a number of positive lines of inquiry, but the finding of the gun is an important development in the investigation and could play a vital part in helping us to identify the offenders.
"I am appealing to anyone who may have seen somebody acting suspiciously on the canal towpath near to Sandhills, either on the evening of the murder or the days that followed to come forward. Information they have could be vital to our inquiry.
"Lewis' family have been deeply affected by his loss and our message is clear, we are determined to find the person, or people, responsible for this. Someone out there knows who did this and information they have could help the family to find some sense of closure.
"An extensive and thorough investigation is being carried out and I would appeal to anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area in the hours prior to the shooting to come forward. You may not think that what you saw is important but it could be a vital piece of the jigsaw for our investigation."