Ashley Dale: Murder arrests after woman shot in back garden

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman who was shot in her back garden.

Ashley Dale, 28, died after she was found wounded in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of 21 August.

Merseyside Police previously said the environmental health officer was not believed to have been the intended target of the shooting.

The two men, aged 28 and 40, were also held on suspicion of possession of a firearm with intent.

A 25-year-old man, from St Helens, has also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.

No-one has been charged over Ms Dale's death but 15 people have been arrested and remain on bail or under investigation, the force said.

Paying tribute, Ms Dale's family said since her death life had "become a living nightmare" and vowed to get "justice".

Ms Dale was one of four people who were killed in a week on Merseyside.

Sam Rimmer, 22, was shot in Dingle on 16 August while Karen Dempsey, 55, died in hospital after being stabbed in a pub car park on 22 August.

Later that day, nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot dead in her home in Dovecot.

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