A teenage girl lay bleeding in her school uniform as desperate strangers rushed to help her after she was shot.
The 15-year-old schoolgirl was shot at a bus stop on Upper Warwick Street, in Toxteth, at around 5.10pm on Tuesday evening.
Merseyside Police cordoned off the area a short time later before the girl was rushed to hospital where she remains in serious condition.
Read more: Live updates from Toxteth as schoolgirl and man shot in daylight attack
A short time later, police confirmed a man in his 20s arrived at hospital with a gunshot wound to his hand.
Merseyside Police later confirmed that a 21-year-old man, from Toxteth, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life
After the girl was taken from the scene, neighbours told the ECHO how strangers raced to the bus stop to try to help the young girl.
One woman removed her scarf to try and stop the girl's bleeding as they waited for paramedics to arrive.
Witnesses said they heard 'four or five' loud bangs on the street before they noticed the girl lying on the ground.
The screen of the bus stop is also believed to have shattered in the shooting.
The neighbour said: "I heard about four loud bangs from in the house. I asked my friend who just came round if she heard it, and she said no.
“Next thing I know there’s police and ambulance everywhere and somebody saying a schoolgirl was shot outside.
“My neighbour said she gave her her scarf to tie around her and stop the bleeding.
“Nothing like this happens around here, it’s terrifying when it’s right on your doorstep.”
Around a dozen police cars, two police vans and two ambulance vehicles were at the scene, followed by three forensics vehicles a short time later.
Forensics officers were seen focusing their investigations within the bus stop and in the road on the corner of Gwent Street.
One resident, who has lived in the area his whole life, said they heard “three loud bangs” just after 5pm.
They said: “I went over because I saw a girl collapsed on the floor. A lot of people were there and said she was okay so I went back inside.
“When I came back out police where everywhere and that’s when I put two and two together.”
The dad continued and said the street is “a lot quieter than it used to be” and he was “disgusted” when he heard what happened.
He told the ECHO: “It’s absolutely disgusting what has happened here this evening. To think a child was in the middle of all this. I hope she’s okay.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Merseyside Police said: "We can confirm that officers are this evening, Tuesday 1st March, at the scene of an injury shooting in Toxteth.
"We were contacted at 5.10pm following reports that shots had been fired on Upper Warwick Street and that a teenage girl had been injured.
"The girl has been taken to hospital where she is currently in a serious condition.
"A short time later a man, in his 20s, turned up at hospital with a gunshot injury to his hand, which is not life threatening.
"Enquiries are being carried out to establish if the two injuries are linked."
An investigation is underway and house-to-house, forensic and CCTV enquiries are being carried out in the local area. A number of roads in the area have been sealed off as enquiries continue.
Chief Inspector Col Rooney said: “The investigation is in the very early stages as we seek to establish what has taken place and who was involved.
“While I understand this is a shocking incident for the local community we have a large police presence in the area carrying out a number of lines of enquiry and I would encourage people to come forward and tell us what they know.
“I would ask anyone who was in the area of Upper Warwick Street around 5.10pm this evening who saw or heard anything suspicious or thinks they have captured anything significant on their mobile phone, dashcam or Ring doorbell to contact us as a matter of urgency.
“There is no room for guns on the streets of Merseyside and we will do everything we can to find the person or people responsible for this incident and bring them to justice.”
Anyone with information is asked to DM @MerPolCC or @CrimestoppersUK on 0800 555 111 anonymously quoting log 647 of 1 st March.
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