A 16-year-old boy has been shot dead on a Liverpool towpath, police have said.
Merseyside Police were called to reports of a shooting on a towpath near Burrows Court, Eldonian Village, in the Vauxhall area of the city just before 11.20pm on Sunday.
The victim has been named as Lewis Dunne.
The, who was found by a member of the public, was taken to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, where he died a short while later.
The boy's next of kin have been informed.
Investigators at the scene
The scene has now been cordoned off while forensic examinations are carried out and house-to-house inquiries are under way in the area.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Pilling of Merseyside Police said: "No mother or father expects to bury their child at the age of 16 years.
"It is difficult to imagine what Lewis' mother and father are going through at this moment in time.
"I believe someone, somewhere, knows who has done this, and would ask them to search their conscience and do the right thing.
"Your information could help us make significant progress in this inquiry."
Anyone with information is asked to call the specialist Matrix team on 0800 230 0600, or the Crimestoppers line, anonymously, on 0800 555111.