News & Politics - 11 year old gunned down in UK

Lexis · 08-24-2007, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Police investigating the gunning down in Liverpool of 11-year-old Rhys Jones said on Friday they had arrested a third youth.

In a brief statement Assistant Chief Constable Patricia Gallan of Merseyside Police said officers had arrested a "juvenile for suspicion of murder", offering no further details.

Sky News said the youth was a local 16-year-old teenager who was arrested at 3 p.m.

Earlier, Gallan renewed appeals to help find the killer of Rhys Jones and said she was disappointed by the public's response so far.

She said the key to solving the case lay within the community in the Croxteth area.

"We have had a few calls, but not nearly enough," she told reporters. "I am disappointed that we've not had further calls coming in and that is why I am appealing to the community to come and tell us who is responsible.

"You know out there who has committed this crime. Please tell us -- help Rhys's mum and dad.

In a direct appeal to the murderer, she said: "If you are responsible for this crime, come and tell us, hand yourself in."

The schoolboy, a keen footballer and a regular at Everton's Goodison Park, was shot in the neck outside a pub on Wednesday as he walked home from training with friends.

Rhys's parents, Melanie and Stephen Jones, laid flowers near the scene of their son's death and read some of the messages left with the floral tributes.

Clutching a small teddy bear, his mother dabbed her eyes as she looked at the mass of flowers, toys and cards laid near the car park.

One read: "To Rhys -- When the Goodison crowd roars it will be for you. Any goals that I score, they will be for you ... sleep peacefully my great mate."

On Thursday, Melanie Jones, who cradled her son in her arms as he lay dying, made an emotional appeal for help.

"Our son was only 11, only a baby -- this should not happen, this should not be going on. Please help us," she said. "I know people must be frightened but they can't leave this killer out there.

"It could be their son, their brother next time, because it will happen again."

Stephen Jones said: "We are devastated. We have lost our world, the world has lost a good guy."

They described their son as a "football mad" Everton fan who never missed a home game.

"He saved pocket money for his kits, he bought his own kits, you didn't have to go and buy them. He saved to buy his kit," his father said.

"Football was his life -- if he wasn't watching it, he was playing it. If he wasn't playing it, he was on the PC playing it."

Detectives say the suspect is a slim white boy aged between 13 and 15, who was riding a black BMX bicycle and wearing a dark hooded top and white trainers.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the killing was a "heinous crime that shocked the whole of the country".

A boy of 14 and another aged 18 were released on police bail on Thursday after being arrested in connection with the murder.

The shooting was the latest in a spate of murders of young people across Britain this year that have focused attention on gang-related violence.

Third arrest over murder of 11-year-old - Yahoo! News UK

Gun crime has been a growing problem but this just breaks my heart. He was just 11 years old - as his mother said, just a baby - and now he's gone because of this pointless violence.

Its so tragic, his dad was saying how he'd been into Rhys' room and looked at the school uniform they bought him for when he was due to start secondary school, at all his unopened school supplies, his pens and pencils and trainers that he was not going to get the chance to use...

My thought are with this poor, poor family.

welshgirlyUK · 08-25-2007, 02:48 AM

I was reading more on this in todays papers and they suspect that at least 15 people had a crystal clear view of the killer and still no one has come forward. They think the communities closed ranks and everyones been told to keep there mouth shut. It just goes to show how gangs are ruling so many areas of towns and cities.

They've pretty much ruled out him being part of a gang and they believe he may have got in the way of a shot fired at someone else. This is just tradgic, i dont even know how to express how terrible i find this. It feels like a new persons being murdered by gangs each week.

-Kelly- · 08-25-2007, 04:25 AM

Poor kid

that's awful

abw92 · 08-25-2007, 08:54 AM

This is really awful. He was just a little kid. It breaks my heart to hear things like this. I hope that someone comes forward.

**sunnykerr** · 08-26-2007, 10:12 AM

It's scary how gun violence is spreading like that... I remember, almost three years ago, a 15-year-old girl was killed in a drive-by shooting while waiting in line to get into a store on one of the main streets in Toronto. It was Christmastime. She was waiting to get in for the Boxing Day specials... and, just like that...

It's scary. And sad.

Orton · 09-04-2007, 07:14 PM

Gun crime is increasing rapidly in the UK, and that is sad.

The young boy...it's such a sad loss


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