A man shot in Liverpool city centre staggered to a well-known bar and begged for help, leaving blood-stained footprints on the pavement.
Police rushed to Colquitt Street on Thursday evening following reports a man in his 20s had suffered a serious injury to his leg.
It has now been established he was shot.
The man was taken to hospital for treatment.
People working in the city centre told how the man was attacked on or close to Colquitt Street, near to the NQ64 bar, and a block of flats.
It is said he stumbled away from that scene, across Seel Street, and made his way to outside the BrewDog bar, where numerous bloody footprints could be seen on the pavement this morning.
Staff have been busy mopping them away today.
One witness said: "He came to BrewDog begging for help.
"There was so much blood."
Exactly where the shooting happened is unclear, but residents said police had been concentrating their efforts in and around the flats on the section of Colquitt Street that leads to Duke Street.
A small section of that road was cordoned off this morning.
High-visibility patrols have been stepped up in the area and anyone with information is asked to get in touch.
Detective Inspector Paul Gillies said: “We are working to establish the exact circumstances after a man sustained a gunshot wound in Liverpool city centre this evening, and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time, and saw or heard any suspicious behaviour, to please get in touch.
“This is a shocking incident which I understand will cause concern within the local community, but I want to reassure the public that we will work tirelessly to locate those involved and bring them to justice.
“Gun crime will not be tolerated by Merseyside Police, and an extensive investigation is now underway. We know the city centre was busy this evening so I would urge anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage from the area to please contact us, as any information could prove vital to our investigation.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact @MerPolCC, 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting reference 21000343135.
