Tributes Pour in for Lisa Smith After Fatal Shooting Outside Kent Pub

A woman shot dead outside a Kent pub on Valentine’s Day has been identified by police as Lisa Smith, 43, from Slough.

Tributes have been left at the scene of the tragic incident, which occurred outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, shortly after 7 p.m. on Friday evening.

Flowers, balloons, and heartfelt messages, including one reading “Wonderful Mum,” have been placed outside the pub by mourners.

The messages left at the scene, such as “Rest in peace” and “Fly high, pretty lady,” reflect the deep sense of loss felt by the local community. Lisa Smith, described as a kind and caring individual, was fatally shot in what is believed to have been a targeted attack.

In the aftermath of the shooting, police discovered a vehicle containing a gun on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, near Dartford, which crosses the River Thames.

Investigations are ongoing, and authorities have revealed that they are looking into the possibility that the suspect, who is believed to be known to the victim, may have entered the water following the incident.

Call handlers had received reports of a man seen “on the wrong side of the barrier” on the Dartford bridge shortly after the shooting. Officers have been focusing their efforts on searching areas of the River Thames to recover the suspect from the water. Kent Police have stated that there had been no prior contact between the victim and the suspect, and it remains unclear whether the weapon used was legally owned.

Reverend Tim Edwards, vicar of St Katherine’s church in Knockholt, spoke about the shock that has enveloped the local community following the tragic event.

“It just doesn’t feel real, this sort of thing doesn’t happen. It’s the sort of thing you see on television, not in your own village,” he said, adding that the community was rallying together in support of one another.

The Three Horseshoes pub, located approximately five miles northwest of Sevenoaks, has been a central part of the village for many years.

The tragic event has left residents in disbelief, with many expressing a sense of profound sadness at the violence that took place on what is typically a peaceful evening.

Steve Maines, a parish councillor in Knockholt, recounted hearing a commotion outside the pub on the night of the shooting. He and his family had been enjoying a Valentine’s Day meal when the chaos unfolded.

“We were told someone had been shot, so we had to leave,” he said. Local resident Dorothy Wong added that she had heard several loud bangs followed by shouting from a woman’s voice before the authorities arrived.

While the investigation into the shooting continues, the local community remains in mourning, with residents coming together to support each other in the wake of this tragic event.

The police have emphasized that the suspect is believed to have known Lisa Smith, though further details surrounding the circumstances of the shooting remain unclear.

Kent Police are continuing their search for the suspect and have urged anyone with information about the incident to come forward.