The family of a young girl who was stabbed to death have paid tribute to murdered Olivia Pratt-Korbel.
Olivia, nine, was hit by a stray bullet fired into her home by a lone gunman.
The tragedy came nine months after the death of Ava White, 12, who was fatally wounded in the neck by a flick knife following a row about a Snapchat video.
A foundation set up by Ava’s heartbroken mum Leanne laid a heart-shaped wreath, decorated with a white ribbon, in memory of Olivia near her home in the Dovecot area of Liverpool.
A message read: “Olivia, taken far too soon, sleep peacefully little girl, from the Ava White Foundation xxx.”
Olivia died when the gunman’s intended target, convicted drug dealer Joseph Nee, 35, burst into her home as he fled his attacker last Monday.
She was the third person to be shot dead in the city in six days, after Ashley Dale, 28, died on August 21 and Sam Rimmer, 22, on August 16.
In the past week 200 people have been arrested across Merseyside in a clampdown on criminal gangs. Police revealed they have also seized “a significant amount of vehicles, suspected Class A and B drugs and firearms”.
Det Chief Supt Mark Kameen said: “The murder of Olivia in her own home, the place where she should have been safest, has crossed all boundaries and detectives are working round the clock to find the person or persons responsible.”
Officers were last night stopping traffic near Olivia’s home, asking drivers for help.
An unnamed 15-year-old boy was jailed for a minimum of 13 years last month after being convicted of Ava’s murder in May.
A week after Olivia's murder, police were on Monday night stopping traffic nearby, and asking drivers for help.
Local councillor Harry Doyle tweeted: "Great to see Merseyside Police out in force again today on East Prescot Road stopping all inbound traffic to the city. We need these killers behind bars. Speak up and share any info for Olivia, Ashley & Sam."
Police have arrested more than 200 people linked to organised crime since Olivia’s death.
On Sunday police said they had detained 170.
And on Monday night they said the figure had increased by 32 in 24 hours, bringing the total to 202, under a clampdown codenamed Operation Miller.
Det Chief Supt Mark Kameen, said: “If you are involved in serious organised crime on Merseyside we are not going anywhere soon and we will continue to disrupt the criminality you are involved in.
"Our resources have been significantly boosted by officers from across the UK (investigation, firearms and uniformed officers) and we will leave no stone unturned in our search for those who killed nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, Ashley Dale and Sam Rimmer.
“The actions of these individuals has also turned our attention to organised crime groups who are blighting the lives of decent, law-abiding members of the community, and we are acting on information coming in to take them out so we can to make our streets safer for the future.
“Information from our communities in relation to the murders is still coming in and we are acting on all the information we receive.
"The murder of Olivia in her own home, the place where she should have been safest, has crossed all boundaries and detectives and uniformed officers are working round the clock to find the person, or persons responsible.”
