Police have made arrests in relation to two murders that happened in the days before the horrific fatal shooting of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, a senior detective said.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering 28-year-old council worker Ashley Dale who was shot in a back garden in Old Swan, Liverpool, in the early hours of Sunday.
Merseyside Police said a woman had also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
And three men have been arrested and subsequently released on bail following the murder of Sam Rimmer, 22, who was shot in Dingle, Liverpool, last Tuesday.
During a news conference about a spate of murders in the city, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen updated reporters about their inquiries.
He said four men were seen in the area of Mr Rimmer’s murder and were believed to have used two electric bikes.
Mr Kameen said: “I would urge anybody with any information in respect of this investigation was brutal murder, to come forward and engage with us.
“In my first appeal, I spoke about the fact that there were four offenders and we believe that they arrived on two electric bikes.
“’m still interested in hearing any information around the identity of those four individuals.
“I am still interested in finding out where the gun is that was used in that offence.
“And I’m still interested in any information in respect of the two electric bikes that we believe were used to convey those four men to the scene.”
Speaking of Ms Dale’s murder, he confirmed the arrest of the man and woman, adding: “Inquiries are continuing around those two individuals.”
He said: “In my first appeal, I asked for people to come forward who were on foot in the streets in Leinster Road, and that appeal still stands.”
The detective said there would have been people heading home from a night out, or “milling around in the street” and he urged them to come forward.
“If you have any information in relation to this murder investigation, please support the police inquiry,” he said.
Ms Dale worked in the environmental health team at Knowsley Council, and was not believed to be the intended target.
