The headteacher of the school where shooting victim Olivia Pratt-Korbel attended has said she is in a state of "shock and disbelief" at the news of her death.
Nine-year-old Olivia was shot in the chest when a gunman, who had no connection to the family, fired shots into her home in Liverpool last night.
The shooter was chasing a 35-year-old man, who had barged into Olivia's house after her mum heard a commotion and looked outside.
The male victim was taken to hospital in an Audi that arrived to the scene as little Olivia was left dying alongside her mum who screamed for help.
Rebecca Wilkinson, Head teacher of Olivia's school, St Margaret Mary's Catholic Junior School in Huyton, said she was in "shock and disbelief".
She described Olivia as "kind-hearted" saying she was "a little ray of sunshine" and "lively little soul [who was] very, very popular with all her peers".
She said staff at the school "devastated" and "can't imagine how the children are going to feel when they come back to school and she's no longer here".
In a statement released earlier, she said Olivia was "kind-hearted and would go out of her way to help others".
"She loved to perform and recently participated in the school production of The Wizard of Oz," she said.
"Olivia will be missed greatly by staff and children at our school."
The Archdiocese of Liverpool also released a statement today, saying it was "shocked and saddened to hear the tragic news".
A representative said: "Olivia was a member of our school community and... our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends, classmates, teachers and local community."
Merseyside Chief Constable Serena Kennedy told a press conference that Olivia's family were "absolutely devastated, inconsolable and heartbroken".
She has urged the man responsible for Olivia's death to hand himself in to police.
Poignantly, the killing occurred on the 15th anniversary of the killing of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, an innocent boy shot dead crossing a pub car park in Liverpool in 2007.
The Rhys Jones Foundation and community centre, established in Croxteth in the wake of Rhys' death, said in a statement: "The Rhys Jones Foundation are devastated to hear the news that last night a nine-year-old girl sadly lost her life due to gun crime. 15 years to the day that we lost Rhys.
"This past week has once again put a dark cloud over this city and something has got to change.
"Our thoughts are with the family of the young girl who was taken last night, as well as the families affected by the tragedies across the city this past week."
Another prominent city organisation, the Anthony Walker Foundation, also responded to the killings of Olivia and Ashley Dale, who was shot dead at her home in Old Swan over the weekend.
The foundation was set up after the racially motivated murder of Anthony Walker in Huyton in 2006.
On twitter, the foundation said: "We are saddened to witness the needless violence that continues to hunt our city.
"Just two days ago, Ashley Dale lost her life to gun violence.
"Tragically, this morning a nine-year-old girl suffered the same fate. Our deepest sympathies to the families of these innocent victims."
A huge manhunt is now underway for the gunman, and others caught up in the horrific incident.
Police said the gunman opened fire on two men before chasing one of them into Olivia's home.
The second man appears to have escaped the incident and police are now appealing for him to contact them.
The individual was walking down Kingsheath Avenue with the 35-year-old man - who was later shot.
The gunman opened fire on them as they were walking towards Finch Lane at around 10pm, although he managed to run away.
Chief Superintendent Kameen said: "I also want the second man that was in the street that was with the 35-year-old to hand himself into us or make himself known to us."
