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LONDON - A motorist was shot dead through the windscreen of his car as he drove along a busy road in Merseyside, police said on Sunday.
The 35-year-old was hit in the head and crashed his gold Land Rover into an oncoming car in the Halewood area south of Liverpool on Saturday evening.
Police said the motive for the attack was unclear and they did not know who shot the driver, who lives locally. The man, who has not been named, died at the scene.
"It would appear he has been shot through the windscreen. How that's come about I just don't know," Chief Superintendent John Young, of Merseyside Police, told reporters at the scene.
"Our firearms officers said they couldn't attempt to shoot someone like that. I don't think this has been an expert gunman."
It did not appear to have been a random attack, he added.
The driver of the oncoming car, a 36-year-old man, suffered whiplash and minor injuries in the crash. No more details of the incident were released.
Officers sealed off part of the road and were checking CCTV footage, making house-to-house inquiries and conducting forensic tests at the scene.
"We are carrying out extensive inquiries to build up a picture of events leading up to this incident," Detective Chief Inspector Mark Wadmore said in a statement.
"It is imperative that we find those responsible for this man's death and I would urge any witnesses to speak to police."
In a second incident, a 21-year-old man was shot in the leg on Saturday at a house in Kensington, east of Liverpool city centre. He was taken to hospital where his injuries were described as "not life-threatening".
Police said they did not think the two shootings were linked.
- REUTERS
