TRIBUTES have poured in for a mum-of-two who was shot dead at a pub on Valentine’s Day by a gunman who reportedly “jumped off the QE2 bridge”.
Lisa Smith, 43, was shot dead by a man “known to her” at the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent, on Friday evening.
Lisa Smith, 43, has been named as the woman who was shot dead[/caption]
Flowers and tributes were laid outside the Three Horseshoes pub on Sunday[/caption]
Forensics teams at the scene of the horror shooting[/caption]
Cops are now scouring the River Thames for the gunman who is thought to have jumped from the QE2 bridge.
A car and a firearm were found abandoned nearby at 7pm on Saturday.
One source said Lisa – also known as Lisa Stockings – had been in the pub with a female friend before she was pronounced dead at the scene following the tragedy.
Tributes have now poured in for mum-of-two Lisa as she was pictured for the first time.
Grieving Teejay Smith paid tribute to his murdered mother Lisa following the horror shooting.
The 19-year-old posted one of him and his mum, writing: “My mum, the best woman to walk in two shoes.”
Teejay posted a number of snaps of his mum and one picture showed Lisa posing next to an Amy Winehouse statue.
Another showed her dolled up in a sparkly dress at a glitzy dinner event.
Posting a video of floral tributes left at the scene, Donna Kidd said: “Taken way too soon, our lady Lisa girl loved forever and always never be another Lisa.
“Girl love from all your girls.”
Marylou Tom Harber added: “No words so sad RIP Lisa girl to beautiful for this earth.”
Meanwhile tributes were left at the scene, with flowers and balloons, placed on a nearby section of grass.
One touching card read: “Our love and prayers are with your family, especially your boys and granddaughter.
“May they continue to frown knowing the love you always showed them.
“May your light continue to shine as bright as it always has.”
Two other cards read: “Dear Lisa, rest in peace.”
Many people had left Red Bull along with their written tributes.
Balloons with the words ‘a wonderful mum’ had also been left tied to a brick near the flowers.
Another balloon had the Disney mermaid Ariel.
One source said Lisa had been in the pub with a female friend before she was pronounced dead at the scene following the tragedy.
Kent Police have been undertaking an extensive manhunt to find her killer, with the latest being they found a vehicle linked to the shooting on the Queen Elizabeth II bridge in Dartford.
The suspect, named as Edvard Stockings, was later seen on the wrong side of the barrier 17 miles away at Dartford Crossing and is thought to have jumped.
Kent Police say a firearm, thought to be linked to him, was later recovered.
Detective Chief Inspector David Higham said he is “not ruling out the possibility that he may have entered the water.”
He added: “We are currently only looking for one suspect and do not believe there to be an ongoing risk to the public.
“Specialist officers continue to work with the families of both parties involved to support them following this tragic incident.”
The pub’s landlady Michelle Thomas described how the tragedy unfolded while she was printing off menus for Valentine’s Day dinner service.
Michelle says she heard two bangs as Lisa was shot, with the mum-of-two later being pronounced dead at the scene.
She told Sky News: “There was so much commotion – screaming, shouting, crying. People were outside, on their phones.
“We tried to get people inside the pub to consolidate them. People were only just starting to sit down, it was early on in the evening.”
As 30 people were seated for dinner, another 20 were situated in the bar as the shocking shooting began.
The landlady described the community as experiencing “absolute shock” as the pub reopened for the first time on Sunday following the tragedy.
‘SCARY AND DISTRESSING’
Terrified locals claimed they heard “three loud bangs” after the woman was shot dead outside the pub on Friday night.
Another revealed how petrified couples were “locked in” the pub for their own safety.
The villager, who lives close to the pub, said: “I heard three loud bangs and a bit of commotion.”
Zack Warne, 19, added: “It is shocking, this is Knockholt, not south London.
“The helicopter was up all night.”
Joyce Betts, 82, who lives nearby, continued: “My granddaughter called me and said ‘make sure your windows and doors are locked’.
“I could see lights outside but I couldn’t tell what was going on it was coming through that someone had been shot, I thought oh my God that’s all we need in our sleepy little village.”
One villager, who would only give her name as Julie, said armed police swooped on the pub.
She said: “My brother-in-law and sister-in-law were in the pub for valentines dinner. They were locked in.
“I was texting them making sure they were okay. There were armed police all over the pub.
“When they were told to come home they had to have their picture taken and they were escorted home by the police.
“It is scary. It was really distressing for them.”
Police believe the gunman may have ‘entered the water’ at the Dartford Crossing[/caption]
A bullet casing found outside the pub[/caption]
A blue Seat car with its window smashed outside the pub[/caption]
Ray Picot, 70, said: “Just after 7pm I heard the shots. Bang, bang. I thought it was a road traffic collision at first.
“I thought ‘oh no not another accident’. The helicopter was buzzing around for hours.
“I’ve lived here 30 years and it’s a real shock. It’s such a quiet area.”
Officers and South East Coast Ambulance Service paramedics had rushed to the pub in the quiet village after reports of a disturbance at the Three Horseshoes pub.
There, they discovered Lisa who had suffered injuries “consistent with gunshot wounds” and she was declared deceased at the scene shortly after 7pm on Friday.
Following the horrific shooting, the pub released a statement that read: “Following the official press release of the tragic incident that happened on the premises last night – all of us at the Three Horseshoes want to send our sincere condolences to the victim’s family and friends.
“We also want to send our support to anyone else in the local and surrounding community who have been impacted by this.
“Please be respectful of everyone involved at this difficult time, thank you.”
Police were called to the pub shortly after 7pm on Friday night[/caption]
Forensics teams have been scouring the pub and its surrounding area[/caption]
Emergency services had been called following reports of a ‘disturbance’ at the pub[/caption]
