Arrest after fatal shooting of UK girl, 9 at home

Merseyside Police said a 35-year-old man, who was also shot, was held on a prison recall and would be interviewed.

In Summary

•The force said earlier that officers had been given the same name by two different sources in the hunt for the gunman.

•Merseyside Police said a 35-year-old man, who was also shot, was held on a prison recall and would be interviewed.

Forensic experts remain at the scene of the shooting in Dovecot
Forensic experts remain at the scene of the shooting in Dovecot
Image: PA MEDIA/BBC

A man who was targeted by a gunman in a shooting which left a young girl dead has been arrested and will be questioned over the killing.

Nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot as her mother struggled with two men, one armed with a gun, at the door of her Liverpool home on Monday night.

It said the man, who had no links to the family, was stable in hospital.

The force said earlier that officers had been given the same name by two different sources in the hunt for the gunman.

Det Ch Supt Mark Kameen said inquiries were continuing "into the shocking murder of Olivia" and the force was "supporting her family as they try to come to terms with this tragedy".

"I would like to echo the words of our chief constable yesterday [and] appeal to the community to keep helping this family in every way possible," he said.

"We will do all we can to take all of these involved in gun crime off the streets, as this arrest demonstrates."

He added that this was "not the time for anyone who knows who was responsible to stay silent".

"It is a time for us all to make Merseyside a place where the use of guns on our streets is totally unacceptable and those who use them are held to account.

"If you saw, heard, captured or know anything, tell us directly or anonymously and we will continue to act."

Merseyside Police said the arrested man had been recalled to prison to serve the remainder of his licence and would be "further questioned" in connection with Olivia's death

In a tweet, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the shooting was "horrific" and "senseless" and that his thoughts were with Olivia's family and "the people of Liverpool".

He added that Merseyside Police would get "whatever they need to catch those responsible and secure justice for Olivia".

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson tweeted that "someone out there knows who did this", adding: "For Olivia, and for the safety of our city's communities, you must come forward."

Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said she was "really pleased" to hear information about who was responsible had been shared with police.

Encouraging others to get in touch with any information they may have, she said "we know somebody out there will know what happened and who is involved".

Paying tribute on Monday, Olivia's head teacher Rebecca Wilkinson said St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School in Huyton was in "shock and disbelief".

She said Olivia was "a little ray of sunshine" and was a "lively little soul [who was] very, very popular with all her peers".

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