Target of Liverpool shooting that killed Olivia Pratt-Korbel, 9, arrested

A man who was targeted by a gunman in a shooting that left Olivia Pratt-Korbel dead has been arrested and will be questioned about her murder.

The nine-year-old was shot as her mother struggled with two men, one armed with a gun, at the door of her Liverpool home on Monday night.

The intended victim of the shooting has been named as 35-year-old Joseph Nee.

Nee, who was also shot, was jailed in 2018 for three years and nine months for burglary.

Merseyside Police has not publicly identified Nee, who was previously convicted of two counts of theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving, driving without insurance and driving while disqualified.

But earlier the force said a 35-year-old man injured in the shooting would be recalled to prison for allegedly breaching the terms of his licence conditions with “poor behaviour”.

Police said the man, who was in a stable condition, had been detained in hospital and would be “further questioned” in connection with Olivia’s death.

The force also said officers had been given the same name by two different sources in the hunt for the gunman.

Both men have no links to Olivia’s family, police have said.

Det Ch Supt Mark Kameen said the force was “absolutely dedicated” to ensuring there were sufficient resources to investigate Olivia’s death, as well as the recent shootings of 28-year-old Ashley Dale in Old Swan and 22-year-old Sam Rimmer in Dingle.

He said each case was “receiving first-class treatment and will continue to do so” and that police raids carried out across Liverpool earlier were in response to the deaths and organised crime.

“In effect, Merseyside Police [is] baring its teeth,” he said.

“We’re proactive, we’re hard-edged and we’ll take the fight to the criminal,” he added.

Olivia was ray of sunshine, head teacher says

Referencing Merseyside Police’s recent watchdog grading of outstanding for its efforts in tackling organised crime, he said the force was “not asleep here in any way”.

“This hasn’t suddenly jerked us into some sort of activity,” he said.

“This is daily business for Merseyside Police but now we’re just ramping it up even further.”

Woman leaving flowers for Olivia Pratt-Korbel

The force has previously said:

The 35-year-old, who has been named independently as Nee, ran into Olivia’s home on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, followed by a man armed with a handgun, after her mother Cheryl Korbel opened the door to see what the noise was outside at about 22:00 BST
Olivia was fatally shot and Ms Korbel was shot in the wrist as she tried to shut the door
The gunman then fired two more times through the gap in the door, hitting Nee in the upper body, before running away
The 35-year-old was then driven away in a black Audi, while Olivia and Ms Korbel were left behind
The gunman was described as about 5ft 7in (170cm), of slim build, carrying a handgun and wearing a black padded jacket, a black balaclava and black gloves

In a tweet, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the shooting was “horrific” and “senseless” and that his thoughts were with Olivia’s family and “the people of Liverpool”.

He added that Merseyside Police would get “whatever they need to catch those responsible and secure justice for Olivia”.

Liverpool Mayor Joanne Anderson tweeted that “someone out there knows who did this”, adding: “For Olivia, and for the safety of our city’s communities, you must come forward.”

Mr Kameen said inquiries were continuing “into the shocking murder of Olivia” and the force was “supporting her family as they try to come to terms with this tragedy”.

“I would like to echo the words of our chief constable yesterday [and] appeal to the community to keep helping this family in every way possible,” he said.

He added that this was “not the time for anyone who knows who was responsible to stay silent”.

“It is a time for us all to make Merseyside a place where the use of guns on our streets is totally unacceptable and those who use them are held to account.

“If you saw, heard, captured or know anything, tell us directly or anonymously and we will continue to act.”

Emily Spurrell (centre) with local councillors, Steve Rotheram (right) and Serena Kennedy (second from right)

Speaking while on a walk around the area with Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell and Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said people were “angry this is happening in their communities, where some have lived for many years”.

“They feel frightened about what’s happening, but the feedback I have received is that they feel grateful for the additional support and resources we are providing, including a high visibility police presence,” she said.

Ms Spurrell said she was “really pleased” to hear information about who was responsible for Olivia’s murder had been shared with police.

Encouraging others to get in touch with any information they may have, she said “we know somebody out there will know what happened and who is involved”.

Paying tribute on Monday, Olivia’s head teacher Rebecca Wilkinson said St Margaret Mary’s Catholic Junior School in Huyton was in “shock and disbelief”.

She said Olivia was “a little ray of sunshine” and was a “lively little soul [who was] very, very popular with all her peers”.

Jean Martindale, whose grandson was in the same class as Olivia, said he had “taken it really badly”.

“Yesterday was terrible for all the children, but he was close to Olivia… and he was very, very sad,” she said.

Ms Martindale, who has lived in the area for 52 years, said Olivia’s death had been “absolutely devastating” for their close-knit community.

“You can feel it, the atmosphere in the air, it’s horrible,” she said.

She added that she was confident the man responsible would be caught, as she believed “whoever does know anything will give names in”, adding: “I’m sure of that.”