Children escaped injury in Dovecot gun attack home
Three young children were fortunate to avoid injury when a series of shots were fired at a house in Liverpool, a senior detective has said.
Officers think an automatic weapon was used to target the front bedroom of the house on Adcote Road, Dovecot, on Tuesday night.
Three children - aged four, seven and nine - were in bed upstairs at the time.
Det Ch Supt Tony Doherty said the attack was "sheer, utter madness".
Merseyside Police said the motive for the attack was as yet unknown, but they believe the house was "specifically targeted".
Bullet in wall
Forensic examinations are being carried out, along with house-to-house inquiries. Officers are also examining CCTV footage from the area.
Mr Doherty, who heads the force's anti-gang Matrix unit, said: "The criminals who did this, did so under cover of darkness with no warning and scant regard for the lives of the people living there, including the three young children.
"We believe the weapon used was an automatic firearm and we are doing a full forensic recovery at the house from bullets lodged in the window frames and from the fascia of the house. One bullet had even lodged in the wall of the front bedroom.
"I would appeal to anyone out there who can help us, to call us.
"This was sheer, utter madness, those responsible certainly took no cognisance of young children being in the house. The time has come where people must stand up and say no more - tell us who did this and where this potential murder weapon is."