Armed police on scene after man shot in face in Liverpool flat

A man has been airlifted to hospital after being shot in the face during a 'targeted attack' in Old Swan.

Merseyside Police said a man entered a flat on Haslingden Close and shot the victim just before 4.30pm on Monday. The man was seriously injured and received treatment by paramedics before being transported in an air ambulance.

Armed police were seen patrolling the area while forensic officers combed the scene. Detective Chief Inspector John Fitzgerald said: "The investigation into this shooting is still in the early stages but we believe it was a targeted attack. We are continuing to carry out CCTV and house-to-house enquiries to establish exactly what happened."

Chief Inspector Fitzgerald added: "We understand the fear that gun crime causes and I’d like to assure residents living in the area that the use of firearms will not be tolerated on the streets of Merseyside. We are committed to tackling gun crime and will pursue those who are prepared to use firearms to endanger the lives of people in our community.

“I would appeal to anyone who was on Haslingden Close and saw the incident or anything or anyone suspicious to come forward and let us know. Similarly, if you have doorbell or dashcam footage and live in the area then please review it and tell us if you see anything. Information you hold could be vital to our investigation."

How to contact police: Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information is asked to contact @MerPolCC on Twitter or ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook with log 640 of Monday 29 January.