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| Version 14 | Version 15 |
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| Two held in hunt for boy's killer | Two held in hunt for boy's killer |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two teenage boys have been arrested after an 11-year-old was shot dead on his way home from playing football. | Two teenage boys have been arrested after an 11-year-old was shot dead on his way home from playing football. |
| The pair, aged 14 and 18, were held over the murder of Rhys Jones who was shot by a youth on a BMX bicycle at a pub car park in Croxteth, Liverpool. | The pair, aged 14 and 18, were held over the murder of Rhys Jones who was shot by a youth on a BMX bicycle at a pub car park in Croxteth, Liverpool. |
| A family friend said Rhys spent his last moments with his mother, who raced to the scene when told of the shooting. | A family friend said Rhys spent his last moments with his mother, who raced to the scene when told of the shooting. |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was a "heinous crime that shocked the whole of the country". | Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it was a "heinous crime that shocked the whole of the country". |
| The BBC's Nick Ravenscroft said police were expecting to make more arrests, either later in the day or during the week. | The BBC's Nick Ravenscroft said police were expecting to make more arrests, either later in the day or during the week. |
| He was an absolutely brilliant little lad Tony Ainscough,Neighbour Community disgust at murder Mother cradled dying son | He was an absolutely brilliant little lad Tony Ainscough,Neighbour Community disgust at murder Mother cradled dying son |
| Merseyside Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "There have been two arrests in this case, but that doesn't prove anything. | Merseyside Chief Constable Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "There have been two arrests in this case, but that doesn't prove anything. |
| "The principal thing I need to get over to the public is we need your help, and we are not yet at all certain as to who committed this crime." | "The principal thing I need to get over to the public is we need your help, and we are not yet at all certain as to who committed this crime." |
| Tony Edge, 40, described how he broke the news to Rhys's mother, Melanie, before driving her to the scene at the Fir Tree public house. | Tony Edge, 40, described how he broke the news to Rhys's mother, Melanie, before driving her to the scene at the Fir Tree public house. |
| "She went to him, knelt down, held him and spoke to him," said Mr Edge, a children's football coach. | "She went to him, knelt down, held him and spoke to him," said Mr Edge, a children's football coach. |
| "I don't know what she was saying to him because I walked away from it." | "I don't know what she was saying to him because I walked away from it." |
| 'Shock and horror' | 'Shock and horror' |
| Rhys, who lived a few streets away with his mother, father and 17-year-old brother, was on his way home from football training with two friends, still wearing his kit, when he was shot at about 1930 BST. | Rhys, who lived a few streets away with his mother, father and 17-year-old brother, was on his way home from football training with two friends, still wearing his kit, when he was shot at about 1930 BST. |
| Mr Hogan-Howe said his reaction to the murder was one of "absolute shock and horror". | Mr Hogan-Howe said his reaction to the murder was one of "absolute shock and horror". |
| Reaction to the shooting In pictures: Rhys murder | Reaction to the shooting In pictures: Rhys murder |
| "Somebody out there will know who did this. They will know who committed the crime and who provided the weapon - and we want them both," he said. | "Somebody out there will know who did this. They will know who committed the crime and who provided the weapon - and we want them both," he said. |
| Rhys was due to start secondary education in September having finished attending the local Broad Square Primary School in July. | Rhys was due to start secondary education in September having finished attending the local Broad Square Primary School in July. |
| In a statement, head teacher Elaine Spencer said the whole school was in a state of shock and offered her sympathies to the family. | In a statement, head teacher Elaine Spencer said the whole school was in a state of shock and offered her sympathies to the family. |
| "Rhys was a really lovely boy who was extremely popular with everyone who knew him. He was friendly, outgoing and mad about football. | "Rhys was a really lovely boy who was extremely popular with everyone who knew him. He was friendly, outgoing and mad about football. |
| "He had a wonderful future ahead of him and it is absolutely terrible that it seems his life has been cut short because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. | "He had a wonderful future ahead of him and it is absolutely terrible that it seems his life has been cut short because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. |
| Popular boy | |
| Eleven-year-old James Rigby was in the same class as Rhys and told of his popularity. | |
| "He was in our class and we were best mates," he said. | |
| "We'd play football every day with him and we'd just laugh...he was one of the best people and one of the most popular in our class and I'm going to miss him." | |
| Neighbour Tony Ainscough, 31, whose nine-year-old son was a friend of Rhys, added: "He was an absolutely brilliant little lad, an innocent little kid. | |
| "He and my son would play computer games together, there's no way he had anything to do with gangs and people need to know that." | "He and my son would play computer games together, there's no way he had anything to do with gangs and people need to know that." |
| About 100 officers have been assigned to the investigation and police are still examining the scene on Fir Tree Drive. | About 100 officers have been assigned to the investigation and police are still examining the scene on Fir Tree Drive. |
| In the last year there has been an overall reduction in the amount of gun crime in the Liverpool, Mr Hogan-Howe said. | In the last year there has been an overall reduction in the amount of gun crime in the Liverpool, Mr Hogan-Howe said. |
| Merseyside Police's Matrix team, which has about 200 officers, executes an average of three warrants a week and has seized about 50 weapons in the past year. | Merseyside Police's Matrix team, which has about 200 officers, executes an average of three warrants a week and has seized about 50 weapons in the past year. |
| Langley Close, the area around the pub, was made a "designated area" by Merseyside Police last year, meaning officers could disperse groups and move people away from the area. | Langley Close, the area around the pub, was made a "designated area" by Merseyside Police last year, meaning officers could disperse groups and move people away from the area. |
| The decision was made in response to concerns raised by local residents about youths gathering outside the pub and local shops. | The decision was made in response to concerns raised by local residents about youths gathering outside the pub and local shops. |
| Do you live in the area? Did you see what happened or have been affected by this story? Send us your comments by filling out the form below. | Do you live in the area? Did you see what happened or have been affected by this story? Send us your comments by filling out the form below. |