Three men have been arrested on suspicion of the murder of a 19-year-old woman who died after she was shot in Blackburn on Sunday.
Aya Hachem, a second year law student at Salford University, was gunned down from a car on Sunday afternoon on her way to Lidl supermarket in the town’s centre.
A statement from Lancashire police on Monday evening said three men from Blackburn, aged 39, 33 and 36, had been detained on suspicion of murder and were in police custody.
It added: “The arrests come following an appeal by detectives today, who urged anyone with information to search their consciences and come forward. Their appeal continues.”
Lancashire police said there was no evidence that the “senseless attack” was racially motivated or terror-related.
Hachem was the oldest of four siblings in a family of refugees from Lebanon. In a statement released on Monday her parents said: “Aya has been taken from us in the most horrific circumstances … We are absolutely devastated by her death and would like to take this opportunity to plead with any members of the public who may have any information however small that may bring those responsible to justice.”
Det Supt Andy Cribbin from Lancashire’s force major investigation team said: “We are on with a number of lines of inquiry which includes looking at CCTV in the area and we have spoken to a number of key witnesses.
“Despite that, and the arrests, this is a live investigation and I am asking anyone who might know anything about what happened, or the circumstances leading up to Aya being senselessly killed to speak to us.”
The deputy chief constable of Lancashire police, Terry Woods, said: “We appreciate this incident will have caused a huge amount of worry in the community, and we would like to reassure residents that we have deployed significant additional resources, including armed officers, to carry out high visibility patrols in the area. Anyone with concerns or questions is welcome to speak to those officers.”
He added: “We appreciate people may not want to get involved and may be reluctant to come forward, but an innocent young woman has been killed in broad daylight and we are asking anybody with any information at all to search their consciences and get in touch to tell us what they know.”
The Children’s Society confirmed that Hachem was one of its trustees. Its chief executive, Mark Russell, said the charity was “deeply saddened” by her death. He said: “She was a truly remarkable young woman, and an inspiring voice for children and young people. Our thoughts are with her family at this awful time.”
In a statement on Facebook, the Asylum and Refugee Community in Blackburn said: “Aya, one of our own, lost her life in a horrific senseless attack, randomly caught up in a shooting outside Lidl.”
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, expressed her condolences to the family and urged any witnesses to her killing to contact Lancashire police or Crimestoppers.
Aya Hachem,Law student&Charity Worker 19,shot dead whilst grocery shopping in Blackburn.I send my deepest condolences to Aya’s family&friends.Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quote log number 817 of 17 May. Anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
— 🌈 Angela Rayner 🌈 (@AngelaRayner) May 18, 2020
The leader of Blackburn with Darwen council, Mohammed Khan, said the murder had “shocked and saddened the whole community”.
A light green Toyota Avensis, with a number of people inside, was seen leaving the scene and was later recovered by police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police on 101, quoting log number 817 of 17 May. Alternatively, information can be provided anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.