Family of 'purest, kindest soul' say pain is 'indescribable' after murder

The family of Ellis Cox have issued an urgent plea of "do the right thing, speak up". The 19-year-old was fatally shot by an unknown group close to Taskers, on the Liver Industrial Estate, at around 11.10pm on Sunday, June 23 this year.

After being treated by North West Ambulance Service paramedics at the scene, he was taken to hospital where he died of his injuries. A police probe currently indicates Ellis, who is not linked to any criminality, was not the target of the shooting and that it could be linked to an ongoing dispute between a group of the teenager’s associates and a rival street gang.

Merseyside Police has made a number of arrests but no one has been charged. Today, Thursday, September 13 Ellis' uncle issued a tribute to his nephew, alongside images and video of the teenager playing with his niece Eliza.

READ MORE: Arrest made after boy, 14, stabbed multiple times in 'targeted attack'

READ MORE: Man fighting for life after being airlifted to hospital following crash

He said: “Terrible things happen to good people now. Ellis without a doubt was the purest, kindest soul I had the honour of calling my nephew. Anyone who was lucky enough to have been in his presence, who knew him would say the same.

"If the people who took him from us or the people who know who did this to him could feel the pain we are feeling they would not think twice about speaking up."

Ellis' uncle said the family's life has been altered forever and in the most unimaginable way. He added: “Our lives have been changed forever. The pain we are all experiencing is indescribable. Ellis was ripped from our lives in the most unimaginable way and we will never be the same again.

“Everything is different. The pain will never get easier, never leave us and we will carry this with us forever. The only thing that gets us up each day is the fight for justice for Ellis, my sister’s baby boy, my nephew.

“What if this was your child? Do the right thing and speak up. Someone out there knows who did this and they know who murdered Ellis. Please I am begging you to help us get justice for my sister, our family, our Ellis, because that is all we can do and we will not rest until we do.

“If you have heard anything in the last 12 weeks no matter how irrelevant you feel it may be please contact the police and let them be the judge of that.”