A community where "everyone's children play out in the street together" was rocked after a nine-year-old schoolgirl was shot dead in her home.
The close-knit community in Dovecot woke to the awful news a nine-year-old girl had been murdered. The schoolgirl, named by Merseyside Police as Olivia Pratt-Korbel, was shot in the chest at around 10pm on Monday, August 22 in her home on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot.
Olivia was rushed to nearby Alder Hey Children's Hospital in a critical condition where she died a short time later. A man also suffered gunshot wounds to his body and a woman - Olivia's mum - was shot in the hand during the incident.
READ MORE: Live updates as schoolgirl shot dead and two others injured
In a police press conference at Merseyside Police HQ this afternoon, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy and Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen, head of investigations, detailed a horrendous timeline of events. Merseyside Police said two men were walking down the street when a man opened fire on them.
Olivia's mum Cheryl opened the front door to see what was happening before one of the men, a 35-year-old, forced his way into her home trying to escape the gunman. A number of shots were fired through a gap in the doorway with a stray bullet hitting Cheryl in the wrist and Olivia in the chest. The gunman then shot the 35-year-old, unknown to Cheryl and Olivia, before making off. The gunman remains at large.
Moments later a black Audi appeared at the scene to take the injured man to hospital. The man stepped over Olivia as she lay dying in the doorway to flee to the scene.
Kingsheath Avenue stood quiet for large parts of this morning as the community learned more details about the events. Occasionally groups of neighbours would congregate to share feelings of sympathy and grief for Olivia and her family.
A 57-year-old man, who did not want to be named, told the ECHO he had lived in the area all his life. He said: "The kids are always out playing in the street. I always slow down the traffic and tell the kids to be careful.
"Everyone on the street knows the little girl - this street is full of little kids playing on their bikes. It's totally wrong for someone to come into the area and start shooting around wildly. They need to be lifted off the streets.
"We've started to notice a lot more anti-social behaviour around here. We've had a few incidents in the past few weeks. But this is something else. A nine-year-old girl - I hope they get caught quickly."
Olivia's death marks the third fatal shooting in Liverpool in the last week. Sam Rimmer was shot dead on Lavrock Bank in Dingle on August 16, while Ashley Dale was gunned down in her own home on Leinster Road in Old Swan on August 21. The shooting also fell on the 15th anniversary of the fatal shooting of Rhys Jones - another innocent victim of gun crime.
Another neighbour, whose eight-year-old child plays out in the street, said "everyone is a wannabe gangster these days." She added: "All the kids play out here. We've seen a rise in anti-social behaviour. You hear the scrambler bikes riding around.
"There have been a number of shootings recently. I've got no words for it - it's got to stop. But I don't know if it will. How many little innocent people are going to be hurt?"
Just several doors down, a man and a woman told the ECHO they heard the gunshots but thought they were fireworks. They said: "We heard the shots just after the match finished around 10pm, but thought they were fireworks. We heard four bangs.
"The last few months have been bad around here. I can't even let the kids go to the shop. Everyone came out after the shots - police came from every direction. I can't believe the victim is a nine-year-old girl - I feel sick."
A woman who lives further up Kingsheath Avenue, who has lived on the road since she was three, added she was not aware of the incident until police and ambulances arrived at the scene. She said: "I don't know of much trouble. Everyone knows everyone and the kids play out in the street like in Coronation Street.
We all know each other. We are all so shocked by this - we don't expect it to happen on our doorstep. Because we all know each other we regulate what happens around here. It's very much the way it was when I was a kid - we look after our own."
As the day continued, more and more people started to come out from their houses. People who lived in houses neighbouring Olivia's home had to be signed out and walked out the cordon by police.
Children rode bikes up and down the road, weaving around the police Matrix vans and the hordes of local and national press. A child's handwritten sign stuck outside one of the houses read: "Wanted people on the loose. They have guns."
Floral tributes were laid on the street shortly before 4pm. One message attached to a bunch of flowers said: "Words cannot describe how this tragedy has turned this city upside down. Our thoughts and prayers are with Olivia's family at this sad time. Rest in peace little one."
An extensive police cordon remains in place at Kingsheath Avenue. Forensic teams were seen combing the inside of the cordon while door-to-door enquiries from detectives were ongoing. Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims branded the incident "truly shocking" and "abhorrent" as she urged anyone from the community to come forward.
The Audi, used by the gunshot victim to escape, has been seized - and now police are looking to identify the gunman who was wearing a black padded jacket, gloves and a balaclava.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen said: "My appeal is to the person that is responsible for this horrendous attack on a nine-year-old girl to recognise the pain and anguish that this has caused her family. I want that individual to hand themselves in.
"I also want the second man that was in the street, that was with the 35-year-old man, to hand himself into us or make himself known to us."
Anyone with information is asked to DM @MerPolCC or call @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 quoting log 1083 of 22 nd August.
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