Knockholt Valentine's Day pub shooting victim named as police issue major update

A mum-of-two who died during a horror Valentine's Day shooting that rocked a small Kent neighbourhood has been named by police.

Lisa Smith died on February 14 following a shooting outside the Three Horseshoes pub in Knockholt, Kent, said in an update today. The service revealed that investigators are searching part of the River Thames following a "suspected murder" on Friday, and officers are searching for "a man known to the victim".

A spokesperson said: "Police are continuing to search areas of the River Thames after a suspect linked to a murder in Knockholt is believed to have fallen from the Queen Elizabeth II bridge. Kent Police was called at 7.02pm on Friday 14 February 2025 to Main Road, Knockholt where a woman in her 40s had suffered gunshot wounds. She died at the scene."

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"Whilst the victim has not yet been formally identified, she has been named as Lisa Smith, aged 43, and who was from Slough. A car and firearm linked to the suspect were later recovered next to the Dartford Crossing. The suspect, a man known to the victim, is reported to have been seen on the wrong side of a bridge barrier and officers are focusing efforts on searches to recover him from the water."

Flowers and balloons, with a number of notes addressed to "Lisa" have been placed on a small patch of grass next to Knockholt pub, near Sevenoaks, Kent. One touching card said: “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 said: “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.

Michelle Thomas, the Three Horseshoes Landlady, said the community was in shock following the incident, with "screaming, shouting and crying" heard after shots rang out across Kent on Friday. 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. People were only just starting to sit down, it was early on in the evening."