Olivia Pratt-Korbel: Police in fresh vow to identify girl’s killer
Image from family handout
Police will identify those responsible for the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel with the help of the local community, an assistant chief constable has said.
Merseyside Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Chris Green said already “the community has stepped forward”.
Nine-year-old Olivia was killed as her mother tried to stop a gunman entering their house in Liverpool on 22 August.
A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder in the early hours of Sunday.
He remains in custody and police were granted a further 36 hours on Monday night to continue questioning him.
The same extension was also granted regarding two men, aged 29 and 41, who were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
A fourth man arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender on Sunday night is also being questioned.
Olivia’s death was one of three fatal shootings within a week in the city.
Appealing for information, Mr Green said: “The community’s been rocked and shocked by what has happened. Our thoughts and prayers go the families of the three people who have been killed over the last two weeks.
“But the community has stood strong and stepped forward.
“The response we have seen, whether it’s providing information or just being resolute in a collective ambition to make sure that those individuals in our communities who are engaged in organised crime – the intimidation, the violence, the use of firearms – they’ve got no place in our society.
“The community has stepped forward and together we’ll identify those responsible.”
He said dashcam footage, CCTV and other pieces of intelligence had been submitted by members of the public.
Mr Green continued to appeal for information but said community support had already allowed officers to “make investigative decisions and take action”
Police previously arrested two men, aged 33 and 36, on suspicion of murder and two counts of attempted murder before releasing them on bail.
The child was shot in the chest by a gunman who had chased convicted burglar Joseph Nee into her home on Kingsheath Avenue, Dovecot, at about 22:00 BST.
Neither of the men who entered the home had any links to her family.
Her mother Cheryl Korbel was shot in the wrist as she tried to shut the door on the shooter.
During the opening of Olivia’s inquest on 30 August, Liverpool Senior Coroner Andre Rebello said armed response officers found her with a gunshot wound to her chest.
He said a police officer had “scooped” up Olivia and ran with her to try to save her life, pressing his hand on her wound as she was taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in the back of a police car.
But she was pronounced dead in hospital a short time later.
A post-mortem examination found the cause of her death was a gunshot wound to the chest.
A minute’s applause was held nine minutes into the Everton v Liverpool gameon Saturday.
An anti-knife and gun crime banner was unfurled in the Bullens Road stand at the Premier League game stretching across both Everton and Liverpool supporters.
Olivia’s funeral is due to take place at St Margaret Mary’s Church in Dovecot on 15 September and her family has asked mourners to wear a “splash of pink” for the service.
A crowdfunding page set up to support Olivia’s family has raised more than £40,000.
Source: (BBC News)