A girl who was shot as she waited for a bus home from school told police "it still doesn't feel like it's happened to me".
The 15-year-old was struck in the neck by one of six bullets fired by Rio Jones as he chased another man through the streets of Toxteth on an electric bike. The 19-year-old is currently standing trial charged with the attempted murder of the "target", as well as causing the schoolgirl grievous bodily harm with intent.
Liverpool Crown Court was today played video footage of her recorded interview with police following the incident, which saw her suffer "very serious injuries" - including lung damage and three fractured vertebrae. In it, she described how she was on her way home from school and sat at a bus stop on Upper Warwick Street when she saw a group of men on bikes ride past.
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The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons and will instead be referred to as Girl A by the ECHO, said: "I think I can remember a bang, and then I just remember being on the floor. At first I thought I was just scared, paralyzed.
"I don't remember who told me what happened to me - I think I was on the floor, maybe someone told me then. I think I knew because I sat up and I saw blood.
"I was just calm. It still doesn't feel like it's happened to me."
The teen says she now "feels back to normal" physically, but added: "It affects me if I see bikes - not scared, but it reminds me and I start crying. At the start when I heard a bang it affected me, but not anymore."
With her at the bus stop at around 5pm on March 1 this year was her 14-year-old friend, who reported seeing a pursuit between two balaclava-clad electric bike riders. A statement read out to the jury on behalf of Girl B said: "One of the riders then started shooting.
"One rider had his arm stretched out. I did not see a gun, but I heard around four loud bangs and realised he was shooting at the other rider.
"I then heard (Girl A) shouting my name and looked down. She was lying on the floor in the bus stop.
"I thought she was joking at first, but I saw blood coming out of her neck. I realised she must have been hit by one of the bullets."
She said that her friend was "saying she wanted her mum", whom she tried to call but received no answer from before dialling 999. Girl B added: "The whole incident lasted only a few seconds."
Robert Noon, who at the time was carrying out work on the bus stop opposite the one Girl A was sat at, said in his account: "I heard around four or five bangs. I thought it was the sound of gunshots, extremely loud cracks.
"I saw a male on a bike passing my line of sight. He made off at speed.
"I saw a female lying on floor by bus stop adjacent. The female was wearing a black jacket, I noticed a hole in the hood of this jacket - I looked up and saw a small hole in the centre panel of the bus stop.
"I did not see any blood. A second female was shouting 'she's been shot, she's been shot', gesturing towards the first female."
Rachel Palmer, a resident of Upper Warwick Street, was at home in a bedroom overlooking the street when she "heard five bangs". She "initially thought it was fireworks", and her dogs started barking.
She then looked out of her window, saying in her statement: "I initially thought the two girls were messing around. I could hear the girl on her mobile phone saying her friend had been hurt and was providing locations.
"I shouted from my window asking if her friend was ok. Her friend looked at me and said 'she's been shot', she had a look of pure panic on her face.
"I knew then it was serious. I ran downstairs to see if I could help."
Once in the street, Ms Palmer said Girl A was lying on her right-hand side and had a "small amount of blood on her right jacket arm". She told the witness: "I think I've been shot, I think in my arm."
Ms Palmer's statement added: "The poor girl was saying 'I don't want to make a fuss', and asking if she could sit up. I recall she was asking for her mum."
She and others at the scene were trying to "calm and assure her". When Girl A began passing out, they kept asking her questions in an attempt to keep her conscious.
Police Constable Richard Owen, who was one of the first officers in attendance, described Girl A as "very pale and appearing to be in a state of shock". The second casualty, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, was shot in the wrist but was able to ride off and knocked on the front door of a nearby house seeking assistance from the strangers inside.
The occupants were Lynn and Gary Tagoe and their two children. The couple had arrived home only minutes earlier having heard a "banging sound" when they were getting out of their car.
Ms Tagoe said in a statement: "A couple of minutes later, there was a loud knock at the door - like a policeman's knock. I answered it, and there was a young male I'd never seen before."
She reported that the man asked her: "Can you help me? I'm hurt."
Mr Tagoe then drove the 20-year-old to the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Ms Tagoe said the man had left his bike in their front garden, but by the time her husband had returned home after around 25 minutes it had gone.
Police Constable Paula Shaw was called to the Royal after the man presented with gunshot wound, and said in her statement: "I attempted to talk to (Male A), but he did not want me in the room or engage with officers. He did not engage, he was often abusive and swearing and calling me derogatory names."
Male A was later transferred to the major trauma unit at Aintree Hospital, where it was confirmed he had broken his radius in at least two places. He underwent surgery on this injury in the morning of March 2.
Jones, of Jermyn Street in Toxteth, denies one count of attempted murder and two of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent. But a second charge of attempted murder in relation to the 15-year-old victim was dropped this afternoon, Thursday.
David Temkin KC, prosecuting, said that the crown would "no longer pursue" this charge, with no evidence to be offered in relation to it. The trial continues.
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