Police descended on a Toxteth street this morning after a 17-year-old girl was shot in a targeted attack
Police on Lime Grove in Toxteth this morning(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Toxteth residents saw armed police storm a house after a teenage girl was shot this morning. A spokesperson for Merseyside Police said that, at around 12.55am on Thursday, March 12, armed officers were called to Lime Grove, off Lodge Lane.
Police initially said the victim was a woman in her 20s. She was shot in the legs in what is believed to be a targeted attack. However, the force has now clarified the victim was 17 years-old.
When the ECHO arrived at Lime Grove just after 8am, one police car was parked on the street. A second police car arrived at 8.50am. Uniformed officers were spotted in discussions, before the first police car left the scene shortly afterwards.
Many people living on the street saw police arrive in the early hours but were unaware there had been a shooting. One man told the 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 said: “I didn’t hear a shooting, just a man shouting. This is before the police turned up. There were loads of police.”
Apart from the police car, it felt like any other weekday morning, with lots of parents taking their children to school. One dad was preparing to drop off his children at school when the ECHO told him about the shooting. He said: “A shooting? I didn’t know that. I just saw lots of police here.”
Another man said: “I didn’t hear anything and I was up until 3am. It’s not normal for this to happen. Look around, there are lots of kids here, they play in the street.”
This police car left the street just after 8.50am(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Officers remain in the area this morning as police continue to carry out initial enquiries, including house-to-house, forensics and CCTV.
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 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 social media desk using X or Facebook @MerPolCC.
You can also report information via the website: https://www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/ or by calling 101 quoting incident reference 23 of Thursday 12 March.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, or via their website here: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-anonymously In an emergency always call 999.