Tributes have been paid to a 19-year-old man who was shot dead in Liverpool last month.
Ellis Cox’s family have said their world is “shattered, irreparable and will never be the same again”.
He was attacked at the Liver Industrial Estate in Aintree on Sunday 23 June, in what Merseyside Police have described as an “appalling and tragic incident”.
The teenager’s loved ones added: “Ellis was making the most of a sunny day going on a bike ride with his friends.
“Ellis loved the outdoors and spent lots of time with his family fishing, quad biking and camping, and it was rare he went anywhere without a family member.
Pic: Merseyside Police
“He was the best son, brother, cousin, nephew, uncle, grandson and friend you could ever hope for and was fiercely loyal to us all.
“He was loved and adored by everyone who was lucky enough to meet him and spend time with him and our lives were so much richer for having him in it.”
Ellis’s family went on to ask for anyone “with the smallest piece of information” to come forward and assist Merseyside Police with their investigation.
“Please don’t feel anything is insignificant and let the police be the judge of that. We need to find who is responsible,” they added.
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Ellis was pronounced dead in hospital a short time after officers and paramedics were called to the scene last month.
Mark Baker, who is leading the investigation, said at the time: “Whilst this happened on an industrial estate, there are residential homes nearby and I would urge anyone who may have seen anyone acting suspiciously in the area, or who heard anything, to come forward so we can give his family answers and bring his killer or killers to justice.”
He added that – while the past 12 months saw the lowest number of firearms discharged on Merseyside in more than two decades – gun violence has “taken too many lives”.
“Our efforts to take weapons off the streets and put those thoughtless enough to use them in jail will never stop,” Mr Baker said – adding Ellis’s death is a “tragic reminder” of how gun crime can “tear families apart” and “ruin many more lives than the victim alone”.
