Olivia Pratt-Korbel: Community's 'horror' one week after girl's killing

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Olivia Pratt-KorbelImage source, Family handout
Image caption,

Olivia Pratt-Korbel was shot after a gunman ran into her home

Feelings of "devastation and horror" run deep in an area of Liverpool where nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was killed, a reverend has said.

It has been one week since Olivia was fatally shot after a gunman chased a man - both of whom had no links to her family - into her home in Dovecot.

Rev Peter Smith said more people had since attended the church of the Holy Spirit, Dovecot, to pray for Olivia.

He added that the people of Liverpool "will never get over this".

Meanwhile floral tributes continue to build in Kingsheath Avenue, where Olivia was shot.

Olivia's mother was injured as she tried to the shut the door, but the attacker fired more shots at the man he had pursued.

Police appealed for further information about a black Audi Q3 that was seen leaving Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, after the shooting on 22 August.

The vehicle is believed to be the same car used to take intended target Joseph Nee, 35, to hospital.

Image caption,

Rev Peter Smith said the feeling in the community was one of "devastation, shock and horror"

Rev Smith told BBC North West Tonight that the people of Liverpool "will never get over this and would never forget this".

"But, people will get on with their daily lives and are just trying to get back to normal, whatever normal is in the wake of something as horrific as this," he said.

"The feeling in the community is still one of devastation, shock and horror."

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Rev Smith said he believed the shooting had "touched people globally, not just locally".

"We had a few more visitors yesterday in church who travelled in to say a few prayers for Olivia and her family," he added.

Image caption,

Ashley Dale, Sam Rimmer and Karen Dempsey were also killed this August

The nine-year-old was one of four people who were killed in just a week in Merseyside, amid a recent rise in gun and knife crimes.

A number of people have been arrested after the deaths of Ashley Dale, Sam Rimmer and Karen Dempsey this August.

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