Police still hunting Wigan gunman four days on from shooting terror

Wigan's detectives are still on the hunt for the suspect who shot a woman twice in the back last week.
Forensics comb the scene in Vicarage RoadForensics comb the scene in Vicarage Road
Forensics comb the scene in Vicarage Road

Four days on since the night of terror which involved guns being fired in two separate streets, the 41-year-old lady's would-be assassin is still at large, with police confirming enquiries are ongoing with no arrests being made as of Monday, September 16.

The woman was shot twice in the back as bullets were fired through her window in Redland Court, a cul-de-sac off Bolton Road in Ashton, at 12.15am last Thursday.

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Sources have told Wigan Today she suffered serious injuries, though officers revealed her life was not in danger. The motive behind the attack has not been revealed.

Forensics comb the scene in Vicarage RoadForensics comb the scene in Vicarage Road
Forensics comb the scene in Vicarage Road

Gunshots had also been fired just five minutes earlier in Vicarage Road in Abram, though nobody was injured. Residents reported hearing “a flurry” of at least eight gunshots before hearing a vehicle speed away from the scene.

Images showed multiple bullet holes in the front of the house but nobody was injured. Police later confirmed both incidents were linked.

Major incident investigations were launched in no fewer than four separate areas of the borough last Thursday morning as detectives tried to piece together the night of violence.

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Both streets were sealed off by police officers who swarmed the area, sending in sniffer dogs and forensic investigators to comb for vital clues.

Redland Court was sealed off in the wake of the shootingRedland Court was sealed off in the wake of the shooting
Redland Court was sealed off in the wake of the shooting

The force also found a black BMW on a dirt track just off Bolton Road, near the scene of the second shooting.

It had been torched, and was being scrutinised by yet more boilersuited forensics officers.

Officers also taped off an area of Winstanley Road, close to Lily Lane in Bryn Gates, where a white Toyota Aygo was found abandoned.

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The vehicle had ploughed into a fence on the corner of the street, and its occupants had fled the scene.

Forensics inspect a destroyed BMW which was found near the scene of the first shootingForensics inspect a destroyed BMW which was found near the scene of the first shooting
Forensics inspect a destroyed BMW which was found near the scene of the first shooting

Chief Insp Liz Sanderson, of GMP’s Wigan district, said: “Our thoughts are with the woman as she makes her recovery and I would like to stress just how seriously we are taking these incidents.

“Firearms were discharged at both locations within a matter of minutes of each other and we are treating these two incidents as linked.

“We would like to reassure residents that extra patrols will be in the area and anyone with concerns should speak to a police officer.”

Anybody with information should contact police on 0161 856 3034 quoting incident number 0050 of 12/09/2019, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.