Aya Hachem: Innocent passerby in Blackburn shooting died from single gunshot wound
19 May 2020, 14:32
A 19-year-old law student mistakenly killed in a drive-by shooting died from a single wound to the chest.
Innocent passer-by Aya Hachem was hit by one of several shots fired from a vehicle as she walked to a supermarket near her home in Blackburn, Lancashire, on Sunday.
Three men aged 39, 33 and 36 continue to be questioned on suspicion of her murder after their arrests on Monday.
Police believe Miss Hachem was not the intended target of the broad daylight attack which took place on a busy town centre main road.
The Lebanese-born teenager, a second year student at the University of Salford, died in hospital a short time after emergency services were called to the scene in King Street at around 3pm.
On Tuesday, Lancashire Police said a post-mortem showed she died from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
DCC Terry Woods gives an update on the shooting of Aya Hachem in Blackburn
Detectives said several videos of Sunday's incident are circulating on social media and urged people to formally submit them rather than continuing to share the footage online.
Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Andy Cribben, of Lancashire Police, said: "We know that a lot of people have expressed their support for the police investigation and I would like to thank them for that.
"However, we know of a number of videos of the incident are on social media and it is important that people formally report these to us as they are potential evidence.
"We would also ask people, even if they are well intentioned, not to share these videos out of respect for Aya and her family.
"Similarly, I would urge people not to speculate online about the cause of the incident and to instead share what they know with us as their information could prove vital."
A number of people were travelling in the light green/silver Toyota Avensis from which the shots were fired close to the Lidl store.
The vehicle, with the registration number SV53 UBP, was abandoned a short time later in nearby Wellington Road and was seized for forensic examination.
Anybody with information should contact 101, quoting log number 0412 of May 18th, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
