Liverpool

Merseyside Police has launched an investigation after officers attended a house on Kingsheath Avenue, Knotty Ash, at 10pm on Monday following reports an unknown male had fired a gun inside the property which according to the police resulted to the death of a nine- year-old girl in Liverpool.

The 9-year-old girl was taken to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the chest, but later died.

Police added that one man was shot in the body and one woman was shot in the arm during the incident inside the house, and have both been taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries.

The Liverpool Echo spoke to a man whose son is known to have played with the victim.

“We’re still in shock, don’t think it’s settled in,” he said.

“She was just a nice little girl, she would ride up: and down on her bike. We want to move now.”

One local resident who identified himself as David told Sky News  the perpetrator “needs locking up for the rest of their lives”

“This has shocked me and it’s shocked the community what is happening here today,” he added

Father John Ealey, the present overseer of Kingsheath Avenue Congregation, said the church was “stunned.”.

“It is a very poor area,” he said. “There is lots of relative poverty.

“Lots of drug dealing going on and people being injured as they are caught in the crossfires,”

He said such incidents were common, and encouraged people to pray for their families and communities.

Deputy Mayor Harry Doyle said he was the same age as Rhys Jones, who was gunned down in Croxteth 15 years ago.

He said: “I remember the atmosphere in the city, and not just the city actually, nationwide, around the shooting of Rhys Jones was just absolutely awful.

“I remember my family being equally – look at families this morning on the doorsteps-as worried and concerned and devastated

“My mum wouldn’t let me walk to school around that time. It is unthinkable and it’s unbelievable that this has happened again 15 years on

“We thought we’d rid ourselves of this violence and this week we’ve seen it return.”

Commenting on the issue, assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: “This is a truly shocking incident in which tragically a young and innocent girl has been shot and sadly died.

“Our thoughts and condolences go to her family and friends at this very difficult time. No parent should ever have to suffer the loss of a child in these dreadful circumstances.

“This crime is abhorrent and our communities must come forward and tell us who is responsible.