A man arrested on suspicion of the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel has been released on bail.
The 34-year-old, from Liverpool, was also being questioned on suspicion of attempted murder after he was arrested in the Runcorn area in the early hours of Sunday, Merseyside Police said. On Wednesday, a force spokesman said he had been conditionally bailed.
Three other men, aged 29, 34 and 41, were also bailed on Wednesday after being arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. The schoolgirl was shot in her home in Dovecot, Liverpool, on August 22 when a gunman chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into the property at about 10pm.
A spokesman for Merseyside Police said: “The investigation into Olivia’s tragic murder is ongoing and we still need to build up a strong evidential picture so that we can bring those responsible to justice.”
On Tuesday, her mother Cheryl Korbel, who was injured in the shooting, called for whoever was responsible to come forward. In a video appeal, Ms Korbel said: “You know you’ve done wrong, so you need to own up.
“Like I taught my kids, you do something wrong, you own up to it. If anyone is hiding these guns they need to speak up because they need to be off the streets. No one, no one at all should have to go through this.”
In a statement, Olivia’s father John Francis Pratt said: “Olivia’s death cannot be in vain and we want people to feel safe and be safe, that can only happen if we all come together and make sure there is no place for guns, or those who use guns on our streets or in our communities.”
The force is continuing to appeal for anyone with information or who may have CCTV, dashcam or doorbell footage to get in touch.
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