Major police hunt continues for Huyton newsagent killer

Jun 1 2008

A major police hunt is continuing for a gunman who shot dead a popular shopkeeper in his newsagents.

Police said there was no obvious motive for the killing of the man, said locally to be father-of-six Abdul Saeed.

Police were called to Carol’s Newsagent and General Store in Dinas Lane, in Huyton, Liverpool, at 7.30am yesterday after a member of the public contacted the ambulance service.

Merseyside Police said the shopkeeper, who was in his 40s, was from the Yemeni community and was “well liked”.

The man was found on the floor behind the counter of his shop with a single wound to his chest, police said.

Police said the investigation was ongoing but nothing “appeared” to have been taken from the store.

The shopkeeper was named as Abdul Saeed by Dean Aljhrani, whose son sublets Carol’s Newsagents to the victim.

Mr Aljhrani, 52, who said he “helped out” at Deans Discount General Store on Page Moss Lane, said: “Abdul Saeed is a father of six and his family live abroad.

“He used to come here to Deans Discount to get his newspapers.

“I think he lived in Kensington and he’s only been here for about nine months. He was a very nice man.

“When I got there this morning the police were already there. The police have also spoken to my son.

“As he is a member of the same community, people are bound to get upset.”

Merseyside Police said they would not release the name of the man or confirm reports that he was a father of six until the body had been formally identified.

Detective Superintendent Paul Richardson, from Merseyside Police’s gun crime unit, Matrix, said officers were now looking for one man, who is not from the Yemeni community, in connection with the shooting.

Mr Richardson added: “I was here earlier on this morning and I spoke to local people. Nobody had a bad word about him.

“It is very, very tragic that a man at the peak of his life in terms of his business and in general has had his life taken away.

“I would like to say it is an isolated incident but I would urge anyone with any information to contact the police.

“A gentleman customer called for the assistance of a taxi driver outside the newsagents but I don’t believe the customer was there at the time of the shooting.

“There is nothing concrete that would suggest that it is racially motivated.

“Nothing appeared to have been taken from the reports I have had.

“We have also recovered some CCTV from the local area.”

Mr Richardson said he believed the murder may have been caught on CCTV and said the investigation was “progressing”.

A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service said: “We can confirm we attended an incident there this morning but any further details must come from the police.”

At least six police officers were manning the cordoned-off row of shops which include the store where the body was found.

Residents living near the scene said the community was “devastated” by the death.

Ann Walsh, 61, who lives near the newsagents, said: “The man who owned the shop was called Abdul. He was lovely to the kids.

“We just heard that a taxi-driver went into the shop this morning and found him dead behind the counter.

“Everyone’s devastated, we just can’t believe it. It’s on your own front door.

“All the kids loved him around here. They’re all crying their eyes out.”

Shopkeepers near the newsagent also spoke of their shock today.

Shamim Mia, 44, who owns the Huyton Tandoori takeaway next to the newsagents, said both the premises had been targeted by teenage vandals.

Mr Mia said: “We have problems with teenagers. Every month we have made calls to the police.

“There are gangs of kids that hang around. I’ve had my door and windows broken and my car broken into. It is a regular problem. The newsagent had problems as well.

“The police are active in the area, which I am happy about, but this is a temporary measure, not permanent.

“Every day I saw the shopkeeper, who I think is from Yemen. He’s a really good man. I think he has been at the shop for seven or eight months.

“Generally he would work at the store on his own. He sometimes stays at the shop at night as well.

“His death makes me feel very sorry. He has a son of 18, I think, who sometimes works at the newsagents but I haven’t seen him for a while.”

Mr Richardson said: “I don’t know anything about a baseball bat lying next to him.

“We cannot confirm that there have been any previous problems at the shop.”

A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police later said: “It is thought that the man died as a result of a single gunshot wound to the chest, and a Home Office post-mortem will be carried out later today to confirm the cause of death.

“Detectives are following a number of lines of inquiry, and at this point remain open minded in relation to any potential motive. The area remains cordoned off, and is currently the subject of a thorough search.”

Merseyside Police also released a description of a man thought to be in the area when the shopkeeper was shot.

The spokeswoman said: “Officers are keen to trace a man who is thought to have been in the area at the time. He is described as a white man, between 25 and 35 years old, with a medium build and dark hair.”

Any witnesses and anyone who may have information about the murder should contact the Guncrime hotline on 0800 4581211 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.