Merseyside Police ask friends of Ellis Cox, who was shot dead as he cycled home, to come forward

Merseyside Police appealed for people to come forwards at a press conference on Wednesday 26 June

The friends of a teenager shot dead as he cycled home are being urged to come forward to speak to police.

Ellis Cox was found with gunshot injuries on the Liver Industrial Estate in Aintree, Liverpool, shortly after 11:10pm on Sunday 23 June.

Officers, who were called by the paramedics treating him at the scene, said it was obvious that he had suffered "critical" injuries.

Ellis, 19, was taken to hospital, but died a short time later.

Merseyside Police is urging anyone with information to come forward to help officers "give his family answers" and "bring his killer or killers to justice", and especially said they need the friends Ellis had been with that day to speak out.

It is believed Ellis had borrowed a bike from a member of his family until about 5pm that day to go to Southport, before getting the train from Aintree towards his destination with a group of friends.

He then went to Ormskirk, before cycling back home with the same group of friends.

Ellis was shot as he cycled towards the the loop line, known locally as the 'ralla', near Taskers on the Liver Industrial Estate, and died at the scene.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Baker said: "The family are absolutely devastated, they need answers quickly and they want justice.

"Ellis was only 19-years-old, we know he went out with friends to Southport on Sunday evening, he was on his way home when he was shot.

"We know this because he phoned his mum and said I'm on my way home."

Police now say they're trying to "establish the motive behind the shooting and trace Ellis's movements".

Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Baker said: "We really need to speak to this group of friends Ellis was with on Sunday night, they may have information that would really assist this investigation, it's important to us that this group of friends come forwards.

"We'd like to reassure them today, we would do everything we can to support them...this is about justice for Ellis and his family."

Police are also appealing for motorists with dash cam footage to come forward, especially if it's captured people in the area.

A police cordon remains at the scene on the Liver Industrial Estate while crime scene investigators carry out forensic examinations and patrols have been stepped up in the area.

A mobile police station has also been set up, and will remain there until the weekend of Saturday 29 June.

There is also a second cordon in place in Walton Vale, where the 'ralla' meets Grace Road.

Extensive CCTV enquiries are taking place in the area, and officers are going from house to house.

DCS Baker added: "Gun Violence has taken too many lives on Merseyside.

"While the last 12 months saw the lowest number of firearms discharges in more than two decades, our efforts to take weapons off the streets and put those thoughtless enough to use them in jail will never stop."Every day our officers are carrying out warrants, open land searches and stop and searches to remove guns and other weapons from our streets."