Gun crime rising in two-thirds of police force areas amid spate of fatal shootings

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Gun crime has risen in two-thirds of police forces across England and Wales, with one facing a six-fold increase in 10 years.

A total of 29 out of 43 police forces have seen an increase in gun crime in the last 10 years. It comes amid a series of high profile fatal shootings, including nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel in Liverpool.

The rise is despite a fall of 14 per cent in firearm offences overall, driven by a drop in gun crime in London, according to reports.

There has also been an increase in the availability of firearms in the north of England and the Midlands, especially in the northeast where gun crime has more than tripled.

Have you been affected by gun crime? If so email chiara.giordano@independent.co.uk

Cleveland has seen offences increase almost sixfold, from a yearly average of 22 to 127, the Guardian reports.

Seven other forces, including Durham, Northumbria and South Yorkshire, have seen numbers more than double in 10 years.

Communities in Liverpool have been rocked by a spate of recent shootings, including Olivia and 28-year-old Ashley Dale.

The little girl was killed after a masked gunman chasing a convicted drug dealer ran into her home in the Dovecot area and opened fire at about 10pm on Monday 22 August.

The apparent intended target of the attack, Joseph Nee, entered the home looking for a place to hide.

The schoolgirl’s mother was injured by a bullet as she tried to close the door on the gunman but it travelled behind her and hit her daughter.

Merseyside Police on Friday revealed the shooter used two guns in the attack that killed the nine-year-old.

Council worker Ashley Dale was found with gunshot wounds in the back garden of a house in the Old Swan area a day earlier on 21 August. She was taken to hospital but died a short while later.

Police believe she too was not the intended target of the shooting.

Sam Rimmer, 22, was also killed in a drive-by shooting in the Dingle area of Liverpool on Tuesday 16 August.

He had been with a group of friends when a group on two electric bikes entered the cul-de-sac and fired a number shots.