Cinema shooting: Man arrested after shooting at cinema screening in Liverpool

A 49-year-old man has been arrested after shots were fired at three locations in Liverpool, North West England, including a cinema.

The Showcase Cinema in the Liverpool suburb of Croxteth was closed on Wednesday evening after a man threatened staff in the lobby before carrying out a shooting outside, police said. Authorities added that the cinema was still operating and moviegoers were watching films on multiple screens in the complex. They were only informed about the incident when they left the cinema.

According to the police, no one was injured in the cinema complex. The incident took place about 50 minutes after shots were fired at a corner store in the same area. A man reportedly threatened a store employee and demanded money before firing a gun and leaving the store empty-handed. A third incident was reported later that evening where shots were heard in a local street in the area.

The man was arrested early Thursday morning on charges of possession of a firearm in terms of section 1 with the intention of endangering lives and theft.

Assistant Chief Constable Wilson, of Merseyside Police, said: “Thankfully incidents such as this, where a single offender is involved in three separate shootings in close proximity and in quick succession, are extremely rare and this is the first time we saw it.” Dealing with an incident of this nature on the streets of Merseyside.

She added: “The shocking and distressing impact of these incidents will have been on the shop assistant, Showcase Cinema staff and cinema goers who were in the complex after shots were fired outside the cinema, as well as residents of Malpas in a lockdown situation.” The street should not be underestimated.”