Olivia Pratt-Korbel: Image of Audi issued in bid for information

  • Published
Black AudiImage source, Merseyside Police
Image caption,

Police have appealed to anyone who saw the black Audi Q3 in the days leading up to the shooting to get in touch

Police investigating the fatal shooting of Olivia Pratt-Korbel have released an image of the car believed to have taken the intended target to hospital.

The nine-year-old was killed as her mother struggled with a gunman at the door of their Liverpool home on Monday.

Merseyside Police also released aerial footage of the arrest of a 36-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

The man, from Huyton, was detained during an operation involving armed officers on Thursday night.

He was also arrested on suspicion of two counts of attempted murder.

The vehicle has been seized and is in the process of being forensically examined, officers said, as they appealed to anyone who saw the black Audi Q3 in the days leading up to the shooting to get in touch.

Det Supt Mark Baker said: "Although we have made an arrest in connection with the horrific murder of Olivia, I want to make it completely clear that we need any information about this vehicle or the wider investigation as much as ever.

"Whatever information you have, and whether you are sure that it is the same vehicle or not, pass it on and we will assess its importance."

Media caption,

Footage of the arrest of a man on suspicion of murdering Olivia Pratt-Korbel is released

Olivia was killed after Cheryl Korbel, 46, opened her front door on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, at 22:00 BST in response to a commotion outside.

The intended target of the attack, 35-year-old Joseph Nee, was being chased by a gunman.

The men - complete strangers to the family - burst in and Olivia was fatally shot.

Ms Korbel was shot in the wrist as she tried to shut the door and has now been released from hospital.

Image source, Family handout
Image caption,

Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot in the chest as her mother struggled with a gunman at the door

Olivia was described by her family as a "unique, chatty, nosey little girl who broke the mould when she was born".

Nee, from Dovecot, was shot in the upper body and taken to hospital in a black Audi by a third man.

Once his treatment is completed, Nee will be recalled to prison for allegedly breaching the terms of his licence conditions.

Det Ch Supt Mark Kameen, of Merseyside Police, previously said there was a sense of "disgust" in the city about recent shootings including 28-year-old Ashley Dale who was killed in the Old Swan area and 22-year-old Sam Rimmer who died in Dingle.

Karen Dempsey, 55, was also found stabbed in a pub car park near Kirkby on Monday. Her son has been charged with her murder.

Image caption,

Ashley Dale, Sam Rimmer and Karen Dempsey were also killed on Merseyside in August

The government earlier announced it would allocate £500,000 for Merseyside to counter crime and provide mental health support following the killings.

During a visit to Liverpool, Home Secretary Priti Patel said the whole country had been "appalled at the spate of violence".

However Labour metro mayor Steve Rotheram said the cash pledged to get weapons off the streets and provide care to residents in the wake of the Liverpool shootings needs to be a "down payment".

Mr Rotheram told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "I told her that that needs to be a down payment, as we look to what interventions are actually necessary to educate people at an earlier age, to ensure that there are interventions, that there are diversionary activities for people, that the society can reknit and grow together."

Media caption,

'Our thoughts and prayers are with the family' - Klopp and Gerrard on Olivia Pratt-Korbel's death

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp told a press conference on Friday the club's "thoughts and prayers are with the [Olivia's] family".

"I cannot even imagine how it must feel - it's absolutely horrible."

Speaking after Everton boss Frank Lampard and his players issued an appeal against gun and knife crime, external, Klopp said: "We have to realise it is our city so whatever we can do together, we have to do.

"I don't like the moments when [crime] happens, but I like the fact that we are then united and do really support with all we have."

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