Halewood shooting victim 'had been targeted before'

Jan 8 2008 by Luke Traynor

Halewood shooting

THE Liverpool man shot dead at the wheel of his car had been fired at months earlier.

Derek Stevens, 35, was killed on Saturday night by a single shot fired from a handgun.

The bullet pierced the windscreen of his gold-coloured Land Rover and hit him in the head as he drove through Halewood.

Police believe the shot was meant as a warning and not intended to kill.

The father-of-one, who was known to police and in local drug circles, veered on to the wrong side of Mackets Lane at around 9.15pm, hitting a private hire cab head on.

Today police sources confirmed they had intelligence that a gunman fired shots at Mr Stevens, known as Dego, as he sat in a car, on or near Leathers Lane, several months ago.

One local said: “A bullet went through the car, over his lap, and hit a house nearby, where a man was lying on his couch in the front room. It was a very near miss.

Residents also said graffiti was recently daubed around Halewood suggesting Mr Stevens was involved in a dispute.

A police source said: “The information is suggesting that Mr Stevens was targeted before.

“But at present nobody is prepared to come and give us that information.

“The fact that a firearm may have had been discharged towards him will be one line of our inquiry.”

Detectives are also probing the theory his death may have been linked to a hit-and-run crash when a man was left for dead in Leathers Lane on New Years Day.

The victim, 37, suffered two broken legs and a broken wrist.

He also broke a small bone in his neck.

He is still in hospital and is due to be seen by detectives today.

There are a several other lines of inquiry which police are not discounting.

Residents said that the victim lived with his partner in a detached house in Halewood Village.

Merseyside Police today stressed the attack was targeted.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or police on 0151 777 8576.