Police plea after nine year old is shot dead by gunman in her own Liverpool home
The victim is named as Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Last updated 23rd Aug 2022
More details have been released by murder squad detectives after a nine year old girl was shot and killed in Liverpool.
Merseyside Police attended a house on Kingsheath Avenue, Knotty Ash, at 10pm following reports an unknown male had fired a gun inside the property.
Two other people are in hospital with gunshot injuries.
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen said: “We now believe that around 10pm two men were walking along Kingsheath Avenue from the direction of Finch Lane.
“At that time they were approached by a lone person – potentially a male – who was wearing a black padded jacket, a black balaclava with a peak, dark pants and black gloves. This individual was approximately 5ft 7ins tall and of slim build, and they were carrying a handgun.
“From what we now know from the review of some CCTV that we have acquired so far, we know that this person shot at the two men who were walking down Kingsheath Avenue. Both men responded by running away from that person with a firearm.
“Responding to the sounds of those gunshots, Olivia’s mum Cheryl appears to have opened the door to her property in order to see what was going on outside.
“One of the men, the man that the Chief Constable referred to as the 35-year-old man, appears to have seen the door opening and run towards the opening of that door.
“He has then forced his way into the property despite the very best efforts of Cheryl and has made his way inside.
“As that was taking place the person with the gun has followed the male to this property. That person has also tried to force entry to the property and has managed, it would appear, to put their hand through the open door as Cheryl continued to try and close it.
“A shot has been fired which we believe has hit Cheryl, injuring her and then fatally wounding Olivia. Olivia at that time, we believe, was stood directly behind Cheryl.”
The nine-year-old girl suffered a gunshot injury to the chest and was taken in a critical condition to hospital, where she later died.
“Despite that horrific circumstance, the attacker has continued the assault and has continued to try and gain entry to the property, in doing so has then fired two further shots at the 35-year-old man who was, at this point, inside Cheryl and Olivia’s home address.
“The attacker has then left through the front door and has made off on foot.
“As the Chief Constable mentioned a few moments ago, a dark Audi motor vehicle was seen to arrive at Cheryl’s address and collect the 35-year-old man, who at that point was wounded and at the front of the property.
“That vehicle then took the 35-year-old male to hospital. I can confirm that that vehicle has now been seized.
“Cheryl has also been taken to Aintree Hospital, where she’s being treated for a gunshot wound.
“Olivia was taken to Alder Hey Hospital, and as the Chief Constable has already explained and, as we know now, sadly succumbed to those injuries despite the very best efforts of medical staff, police officers at the scene and all the staff at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Kameen said: “I can reassure you and all the people listening, and members of our community, that we have an incredibly experienced team of detectives now engaged on this inquiry.
“They are going to be working tirelessly and were doing so last night during the evening around this investigation.
“We are absolutely committed to finding the person responsible and everybody connected with this event, as the chief constable has already pointed out.
“To do that, I need the public’s help. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that I have made an appeal this week around a fatal homicide relating to firearms.
“My appeal is to the person responsible for this horrendous attack on a nine-year-old schoolgirl to recognise the pain and anguish that this has caused to her family.
“I want that individual to hand themselves in.”
The same night as the Knotty Ash shootings, two men were arrested over the fatal stabbing of a woman in her 50s in Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby.
Assistant Mayor of Liverpool Harry Doyle to us the news has shocked him: "To wake up this morning to the news that a 9-year-old has lost her life is obviously extremely worrying, it's shocking.
"When you think just the other night a young woman lost her life in Old Swan as well, of course, it's worrying.
"We just need to make sure we're working with our partners and the Police to rid ourselves of this violence."
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy who named the victim as Olivia Pratt-Korbel said her “family are absolutely devastated, inconsolable and heartbroken”.
She added: “I know that the murder of Olivia has rocked our communities, who are quite rightly upset and outraged that such an abhorrent crime has occurred here on the streets of Merseyside.
“The people of Liverpool and Merseyside are known for their compassion and pulling together in times of crisis, and I know that our communities, people are wanting to help the family in any way possible.
“This is not the time for anyone who knows who’s responsible for this shooting to remain tight-lipped.
“It is time for our communities to come together with us and make Merseyside a place where the use of guns on our streets is totally unacceptable, and those who use them are held to account.”
Anyone with information is asked to DM @MerPolCC or call @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 quoting log 1083 of 22nd August.