Girl, 17, is shot within the legs in ‘focused assault by somebody recognized to her’ in Liverpool
A 17-year-old girl has been shot in the legs in a ‘targeted attack’, police have said.
Armed officers raced to Lime Grove in the Toxteth area of Liverpool just before 1am on Thursday after reports that a girl had been shot in the legs.
She was rushed to hospital for treatment; her condition is not yet known.
Police believe the attack was ‘targeted’ and that the assailant was ‘known to the victim’.
No arrests have been made yet and the gunman is still at large.
They are not treating the attack as gang-related, the Daily Mail understands.
A local resident told the Liverpool Echo: ‘I didn’t hear any shooting. I just heard the police going into the house. They came in with guns.
‘I watched a bit from my window. I got woken up three times from people shouting. The police then came to my house asking if I had CCTV.’
A woman who lives on the street said she had heard shouting before the police showed up in droves, but no gunshots.
Police are now going house-to-house at the scene on Lime Grove, off Lodge Lane, while forensic officers comb the area for evidence and review CCTV footage.
Police at the scene where a 17-year-old girl was shot in the legs on Lime Grove, Toxteth, Liverpool
Detective Inspector Ainsley McAlice said: ‘These are the critical early stages of our investigation, and we are looking to establish exactly what happened, where it happened, and to find the person responsible.
‘We understand the concern that any such incident will have in our communities, and initially believe that this was a targeted attack by someone known to the victim.
‘If you know anything or live locally and saw the incident or anyone making off around Lodge Lane or towards Sefton Park, please come forward as a matter of urgency. Your CCTV, doorbell footage or other information could be vital evidence.
‘Officers will remain in the area today, gathering evidence and speaking to people locally to provide reassurance, so contact us directly or anonymously via Crimestoppers.’
Anyone with information can contact Merseyside Police through their social media channels or by calling 101 or can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
