People living close to where reckless thugs let off gunshots yards from a children's play park believe local drugs gangs are involved in a dangerous dispute.
Today an apparent bullet-hole was visible in a window on a ground floor flat opposite Picton Playground on Mill Lane, Wavertree. Children's toys including a slide and small football nets were also visible in the front yard of the property.
The shooting, at around 7.10pm, followed what detectives believe was a "chase" involving four masked men riding a scooter and bikes, which was first reported around an hour earlier. Residents in the flats also described seeing two Scrambler type bikes prior to the gunfire.
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Merseyside Police say no-one was injured in the incident, but concerns are increasing over violence in the immediate area after two similar incidents in April - including one on nearby Deverell Grove where a woman in her 50s was shot in the leg - and another shooting at a property on Birch Grove.
Two residents living in flats on Mill Lane said they had personally witnessed drug dealing in the vicinity of the scene. One told the ECHO: "It's got to the point where it's normal round here if you hear gunshots or a bike, it doesn't even surprise me to hear gunshots anymore. Recently it has got pretty terrible, it has to be about territory for selling drugs.
"You can see the younger ones selling drugs round here, and there are more senior people living around these blocks that they go to, to restock or whatever. I have seen them passing packages over personally, sometimes they don't think you can see them but I don't think they'd care."
The other said: "From what I have seen there are probably around two groups operating here, you see them hanging round together. There are a lot of vulnerable people living here and it is a constant battle to get something done about it. You sometimes see the [Merseyside Police] fugitive team round here but nothing seems to get done about the drugs."
The resident was in a communal area looking out onto Mill Lane last night when the shooting occurred. They said: "I heard the engines, and then I saw scrambler type bikes going past. I saw two bikes.
"A short time later they came back the other way and I heard a 'pop'. I thought it was like the engine back-firing or something but a neighbour called me and she said 'oh my god there has been a shooting'."
The ECHO spoke to other long-time residents who were reluctant to go into details, but hinted that the situation in the streets off Mill Lane was deteriorating and believed the incidents related to gang-rivalry. One man said: "It's kids, they all know each other and they don't care. Who knows what it is about but you could just look at someone funny and that's it."
Another said: "I recently moved here and it was the biggest mistake of my life. These gangs round here don't care." In the streets behind the housing association owned flats facing Mill Lane, there was also concern.
One man told the ECHO: "As a parent it is a concern. We don't see drug dealing day-to-day but my wife had a scooter pinched a couple of months ago and I assume that's what they use it for.
"My children are primary school age but they are not stupid. Last night was crazy, I came home from work and the helicopter was up and the police had cordoned off the road. I was saying to my wife last night should I call 111 and just complain about the situation here, but she said 'what's the point', nothing will happen.
"My concern is you only seem to see the police round here after something like this [the shooting] happens."
Officers from the force's Matrix division could be seen conducting searches on a cordoned-off section of pavement in front of the property this afternoon, while plain-clothes detectives also came and went.
Police say it is believed at this stage that the shooting was targeted. Detective Inspector Katie Coote said: "I would urge anyone who was in the area after 6pm this evening, who witnessed the incidents, or who have any information to come forward.
"I would also like to appeal to anyone who has CCTV, dashcam or footage on any other devices to take the time to check them to see if they have captured any footage that could help us find those responsible. Firing a gun in a residential street is extremely reckless and dangerous and shows a total disregard for the safety of local residents.
"One gun in the hands of criminals could be fatal and we are committed to tackling gun crime to make our streets safer. Any information you have could be vital to our enquiries so please, tell us what you know so that we can remove dangerous weapons and those who use them from our streets.”
Anyone with any CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage or information about this incident please direct message Merseyside Police via the social media desk on Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ quoting incident reference 22000392835.
You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form here.
