Grandmother shot dead as heartbroken family ‘knew’ she’d been killed

Jackie Rutter, 53, was shot in the chest in her doorway on Meadowbrook Road around 1.45am on Sunday (Image: Liverpool Echo/Supplied)The family of a woman who was shot dead at the weekend at her home in Moreton, near Liverpool, have said they believe she was targeted by thugs. Jackie Rutter, 53, was shot in the chest in her doorway on Meadowbrook Road around 1.45am on Sunday.Police have described the incident as a targeted attack to local news outlets.In a statement released yesterday, Merseyside Police said that officers were called to the property following a report that the body of a woman had been found inside.Emergency services attended, but she was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.The force said that she was found with an injury to her chest ‘consistent with a gunshot wound’. Officers were called to the property following a report that the body of a woman had been found (Image: Liverpool Echo) Emergency services attended, but she was sadly pronounced dead at the scene (Image: Liverpool Echo)He added: ‘To lose a parent is bad enough, but to have her stolen like this is just horrific.’Police are now appealing to members of the public who may have any information relevant to the investigation.The Echo reported that they are interested in a dark-coloured vehicle containing up to three individuals in the area at the time of the shooting.It reported that officers later found the vehicle burnt out on Garden Hey Road, a short distance from Ms Rutter’s house, and are looking to trace its movements before and after the incident. ‘To lose a parent is bad enough, but to have her stolen like this is just horrific’ (Image: Liverpool Echo )Merseyside Police said that a 79-year-old man, who was known to the victim, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of murder, but has since been released pending further enquiries.Detective Superintendent Sue Coombs said: ‘At this time we’re appealing for witnesses in that area, anything they have seen or may have been captured on CCTV or dashcam footage, anything of that nature, to come forward to us.’Clearly there’s no place for guns on Merseyside streets. Too often we’ve seen the devastation is causes to families and communities.’We will do everything in our power to make sure we identify the people responsible and bring them to justice. What I would ask is that the community work with us and provide us with whatever information they can to help us with that.’Superintendent Matt Moscrop said: ‘You will see a really high police presence in the area are the moment, around the scene, to engage with people, reassure people and gather information to support the investigation.’Merseyside Police said they would not comment directly on the claims made by the family, but that a ‘number of lines of enquiry’ were being pursued in their investigation.Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police quoting reference number 22000796038.