Police re-arrest two teenagers in city hunt for Rhys Jones killer

Jan 17 2008 by Caroline Innes, Liverpool Daily Post

Rhys Jones latest news

TWO people re-arrested by detectives in connection with the murder of 11-year-old Rhys Jones were last night released on police bail.

Merseyside Police confirmed the 16 and 18-year-olds who have been arrested on firearm offences were re-arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the schoolboy’s death.

Both have already previously been arrested on suspicion of firearm offences, on November 20, and bailed. The youths were arrested shortly after midday and were taken to separate police stations on Merseyside for questioning.

Following a day in custody, both youths were again released on police bail shortly after 5pm yesterday.

Merseyside Police refused to comment on what had prompted the arrests – saying the action was simply part of their ongoing murder inquiry.

Rhys was killed on Wednesday, August 22, as he walked home from football practice across the Fir Tree pub car park in Croxteth.

He was killed by a single shot and died at the scene, lying in his mother Melanie’s arms.

It is understood the Everton-mad youngster was the innocent victim caught up in a rival gang tit-for-tat shooting between feuding members of the Croxteth Crew and the Norris Green-based Strand Gang.

Mrs Jones, 41, and husband Stephen, 44, have repeatedly called for the gunman who shot their son to hand himself in and Merseyside Police have come under increasing pressure to charge someone for his murder.

But, while 20 people have been arrested in connection with Rhys’s murder, no-one has yet been charged.

Five have been released without charge and are being treated as key witnesses, while the rest are on bail.