Tributes have poured in for the "lovely and bright" nine-year-old girl who was shot dead in her own home - as police officially named the young victim. Olivia Korbel was killed after taking a bullet to the chest on Kingsheath Avenue in Knotty Ash, Liverpool.
Her devastated mum could be heard ‘screaming for help’ in the aftermath of the tragic shooting. Police have since launched a search for the "cowardly gunman" and are urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward.
According to the Mirror, the killer fatally shot the youngster as he ran through the house chasing after someone unrelated to them. In a press conference held today, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said: "It is believed one of the injured parties, a 35-year-old man, was being chased by a man armed with a gun who was firing at him.
"The man being chased forced his way into Olivia's house and the offender ran in after him firing a number of shots with complete disregard for Olivia and her family, who had no connection with the gunman or the man who forced his way in. Sadly Olivia was fatally wounded when the gunman fired at the man who was trying to get into the house. And her mum also suffered a gunshot to her wrist."
The 35-year-old man being chased suffered a number of gunshots to his body, police said. Chief Constable Kennedy added that the injured man's friends arrived at the scene and took him to hospital while Olivia "lay dying".
It was only after police reached the scene that the youngster was rushed to hospital. Neighbours paid tribute to the tragic child. Residents also say the gunman also injured a woman by shooting her in the hand as they ran after the intended target.
An anonymous resident said: “If someone comes banging on your door you would answer. It was a run through, they came running through the house after someone shooting and shot the little girl and killed her.
“You could hear it all. Her mum was screaming for help, she came running out into the street and she was banging on the car begging people to help her. But no one could do anything, everyone was too scared to come out their houses. The police didn’t turn up for an hour and then the ambulance took a while as well.
“I’ve known the little girl since she was a baby she was the brightest, loveliest girl. She was an old head on young shoulders and she was absolutely tiny.
“She was born premature and she didn’t look like a nine year old, she was tiny. They’re just a nice normal family, I can’t believe it.
“I’m scared to let my kids out, the gun crime around here is just getting worse and worse.”
The nine-year-old victim suffered a gunshot injury to the chest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, however she later died. Police previously said a man had suffered gunshot wounds to his body and a woman sustained a gunshot injury to her hand during the incident, which took place at just before 10pm.
They have both been taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries.
It comes 15 years to the day after 11-year-old Rhys Jones was shot dead in Croxteth, Liverpool. And less than 48 hours after a young university graduate was killed just a mile-and-a-half away.
Ashley Dale, 28, was not the 'intended target' when she was fatally gunned down in a garden shortly after midnight on Sunday (August 21). Paula Barker, Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree, told BBC Breakfast: "It is completely unacceptable and this mindless violence simply has to stop.
"I think, as a city, we come together in adversity and I know people in Liverpool will be absolutely horrified this morning."
Police are urging anyone with information to come forward as they work to track down the killer.
A small girl came out of her house and taped a note to the wall near where the child was killed. The sign appears to read: "Wanted. Be careful. Wanted people on the loose. They have guns."
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