Police investigating the fatal shooting of Olivia Pratt-Korbel say there is “no hiding place” for those involved in the killing as two men arrested on suspicion of her murder were released on bail.
Nine-year-old Olivia was fatally injured when a masked gunman chased another man into her home in the Knotty Ash area of Liverpool and opened fire on Monday night. Her mother, Cheryl Korbel, 46, was shot in the wrist and has since been discharged from hospital.
A 36-year-old man, from Huyton, arrested on suspicion of murder and two counts of attempted murder on Thursday has been recalled to prison after breaching the terms of his licence, police said on Saturday. A second man, 33, from Dovecot, who was arrested on Friday has been released on bail.
Following their release, police renewed their appeal for information and want to speak to anyone who saw a black Audi Q3 car, in the Kingsheath Avenue area of Dovecot, in the days before the shooting.
The car was used to take the intended target of the shooting, convicted burglar and drug dealer Joseph Nee, 35, to hospital for treatment after he was shot in the upper body during the incident.
He remains under arrest in hospital and will be recalled to prison for breaching the terms of his licence when he is well enough to be released.
Merseyside Police said in a statement: “Our investigation into Olivia’s tragic murder is ongoing and we still need people to come forward so we can build up a strong evidential picture and bring those responsible to justice.”
The force also reiterated the plea on social media, tweeting: “A simple request - share this far and wide, to everyone you know, and ask them to share it further still, so that there’s no hiding place for anyone involved in the murder of little Olivia.
“We need names. Silence is not an option.”
Assistant mayor of Liverpool Harry Doyle said people had come forward in the days since the murder, because they “want to see justice” for the little girl and her loved ones, and that the arrests had brought “a sense of hope and relief”.
It comes after Olivia’s family urged people to “do the right thing”, saying that speaking up “is not about being a ‘snitch’ or a ‘grass’, it is about finding out who took our baby away from us”.
Tributes to Olivia have been paid across Liverpool and in the sporting world with Liverpool FC captain Jordan Henderson wearing a top reading “RIP Olivia YNWA (You’ll Never Walk Alone)” for the team’s victory against Bournemouth on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a £500,000 package of support announced by the Home Office “doesn’t touch the sides” and what the community affected in Liverpool needs is “long-term solutions”, Mr Doyle said.
Some £350,000 will be used to expand a pilot scheme as part of efforts to tackle organised crime in Merseyside, while £150,000 will provide trauma and mental health support in the Liverpool and Knowsley areas, the Government announced.
Anyone with CCTV, dashcam, or other footage that they think could help police in their investigation can submit it via an online portal.
