Record award offered in hunt for 9-year-old girl’s killer
Sep 20, 2022, 7:45 PM | Updated: Sep 21, 2022, 7:51 am
LONDON (AP) — A British charity on Wednesday offered a record 200,000-pound ($226,600) reward in the hunt for the suspect who killed a 9-year-old girl in her home.
Olivia Pratt-Korbel was fatally shot in Liverpool, northwest England, on Aug. 22 by a masked gunman who chased a convicted burglar into her home. The two men were not believed to be known to the family.
Olivia died from a gunshot wound to her chest during the struggle and her mother, Cheryl Korbel, was wounded.
Police have arrested nine men as part of their investigation into her death, but all have since been given bail.
The case has shaken the city of Liverpool, and last week dozens packed local streets for Olivia’s funeral.
The 200,000-pound award is the biggest single financial incentive offered in the history of the charity Crimestoppers. The body is independent of the police and takes information about crime anonymously.
“This case has been incredibly shocking, not just for those who are directly affected but also for Liverpool and the nation as a whole,” said Michael Ashcroft, the charity’s founder. “A precious young life has been lost so we need every effort to find those involved in this appalling killing.”
Police said the deadly clash began when a gunman fired at two other men on the street outside the Korbel home. When Cheryl Korbel opened her door to see what was happening, one of the men forced his way into the home, police said. The gunman gave chase, firing indiscriminately into the home as Korbel tried to bar the door.
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