A 'pregnant woman' who was reportedly slashed in the face was carried into a nearby social club by concerned members of the public.
The woman is understood to have been 'struck in the face' with a sharp object, by a man in the Northwood area of Kirkby.
The incident occurred close to St Mary's Social Club on Kennelwood Avenue, Kirkby, at around 8.35pm.
The full details of the incident are still being investigated, but multiple sources at the scene told the ECHO that a pregnant woman was i njured.
It is it understood the incident came before a reported shooting, on Kennelwood Avenue, at about 8.45pm, in which a man was shot in the leg.
Merseyside Police today said the man remained in hospital but his condition was described as stable.
Investigations are ongoing to determine whether the two incidents were linked.
At the scene today one woman told the ECHO her 10-year-old grandson witnessed the shooting and saw a "big flash" and heard a "loud bang".
The 54-year-old said: "I was out so I didn't see and I only got back this morning, but he heard gunshots.
He was saying 'did you hear that bang, did you hear that bang?'."
"There's been incidents around here before, but it's usually just been knife crime - never guns.
"I think it's happening more and more, you hear about this sort of thing happening all the time now."
The woman said her grandson was "threatened with a knife" when he was nine-years-old and now, on top of this incident, is "scared to go out".
She added: "My grandson's scared to go out, he said he doesn't feel safe .
"It's traumatised him, he doesn't play out any more."
Meanwhile dad-of-two Danny Leadbetter said he was putting his children to bed when he heard a loud noise.
The 27-year-old said: "I heard a big bang, it sounded like a big gun.
"I was in with the kids and I had just got them asleep then I just heard a big noise and I thought what the f*** was that?
"The police didn't come to my door after, but I saw them driving around and I looked out of my window and saw my girlfriend come back in and she said 'do you know what's happened?'"
Mr Leadbetter said he heard reports a pregnant woman had been "slashed in the face" earlier in the night, before the shooting took place.
Today a police spokesperson said: "We are appealing for information after unconfirmed reports a woman was assaulted in Northwood on Saturday night (21 September).
"A report was received at 8:35pm that the woman was struck to the face by a man close to St Mary's Social Club on Kennelwood Avenue, possibly using a sharp object.
"It was reported she was then taken into the club by members of the public.
"At this stage no victim has come forward and enquiries are ongoing to locate the alleged offender.
"Potential witnesses have been spoken to and CCTV enquiries have also been carried out in the surrounding area.
"Officers have made enquiries with local hospitals but have not identified anyone with injuries matching those described.
"Detectives are keeping an open mind as to whether it is linked to a shooting reported to have happened nearby and short time later
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