A family member has paid a touching tribute to nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel after she was shot dead in Liverpool.
Olivia died on Monday night when a 35-year-old man, unknown to the family, ran into her terraced house in Kingsheath Avenue, in the Dovecot area of the city, in an attempt to get away from a shooter, police said.
Her mum Cheryl Korbel, 46, was shot in the wrist as she tried to close the door on the gunman while Olivia stood behind her.
In a tribute posted on Facebook, a family member known as Rebecca Louise vowed to find Olivia’s killer.
Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Facebook
Rebecca Louise and Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Facebook
She wrote alongside several pictures of the nine-year-old: “Baby girl, I don’t think I or the family will ever find the words to describe the heartache we have all felt the past 24 hours.
“We haven’t just lost ’Our Liv’, we’ve lost a daughter, a sister, a niece, a cousin and a granddaughter. Our little Liv who was full of life, full of sass and most definitely knew what she wanted in life. You had so much potential and a full life to lead beautiful.
“I can only apologise for the cruel world we live in and the monsters in it. My heart aches so much and I don’t think we will ever digest what’s happened.
“We WILL find who did this and we WILL get justice for you baby girl. Lewis & I love you SO much it hurts. Forever nine years young.
“We all as a family know we’re in everyone’s thoughts and we know we have not only the hearts of the city but the hearts of a nation behind us all.
“Let’s put this into action and get these weapons off our street’s.
“No other family should EVER have to endure the pain we as a family and especially my aunty Cheryl have experienced. No other child should have to lose their lives to these senseless crimes.
“Forever and always in our hearts baby.”
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said the “shocking” killing of Olivia “crosses every single boundary” as the force appealed to the “criminal fraternity” in Liverpool for information.
Ms Kennedy told a press conference on Tuesday: “This is a shocking and appalling attack which will reverberate around our communities, and I want to take this opportunity again to appeal to anybody who knows who was responsible for this attack to please come forward and give us those names.
“We need to find all who are responsible for – not just the gunman, we need to find who supplied the weapon and who arranged this terrible incident.”
Tributes have been left in Kingsheath Avenue
Peter Byrne
Flowers and teddy bears were also left following the death of Olivia
Peter Byrne