Murder of Rhys Jones

This article is about the schoolboy murdered in Liverpool. For the Welsh-Australian archaeologist, see Rhys Jones (archeologist).

The murder of Rhys Milford Jonesoccurred on 22 August 2007 in Liverpool, England, when he was shot in the back of the neck by an assailant.

Background

Rhys's parents are Stephen and Melanie Jones (who was born in Wrexham); Rhys also had a 17-year-old brother named Owen..

Jones had left Broad Square Primary School in Norris Green, and was due to start secondary school at Fazakerley High School in September 2007.

Incident

Rhys, who played for The Fir Tree Boys football club, was on his way home from football practice with two friends, going across the Fir Tree pub car park on Fir Tree Drive South in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, when a hooded youth riding a BMX bike rode up to him, held out a hand gun at arms length, and fired three shots towards Jones's head. One of the shots hit him in the neck, and he died from blood loss in the arms of his mother, who rushed to the scene when she heard what had happened. The shooting occurred in broad daylight at 7.30 pm BST.

By the time his mother reached him, Jones was unconscious, and although paramedics tried for one and a half hours to resuscitate him, he was pronounced dead some time later in Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital.

Jones's school headteacher Elaine Spencer said that Rhys was a friendly, outgoing boy who was popular with everyone who knew him, and mad about football. The family's neighbours, friends and relatives have paid similar tributes.

Arrests and investigation

Detectives arrested and later released four people: a boy aged 15, a man aged 19, a girl aged 15 and a woman aged 18. Two other people – a 19-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy – have been released on bail pending further enquiries.

The police have appealed to the public for information, stating that they need help in finding those who committed the crime. The murder weapon was described as a black handgun with a long barrel. More than 300 officers and gun crime specialists were deployed in the hunt for Jones's killer.

Rhys' parents made a fresh appeal for witnesses to come forward on the 19th of September - four weeks after Rhys' murder. Jones's murder was reconstructed on Crimewatch on the 26th of September, with Jones's mother appealing directly to the murderer's mother to turn her son in, led to 12 people calling into the programme giving police the same name. Despite reports that the killer's name is widely known and has appeared on internet sites and in grafitti, police are still appealing for witnesses to come forward.

Gangs

Rhys' murder comes after a spate of shootings across the UK, which authorities have said look like something "out of America."

Residents in Jones' locality have said that there have been real problems with anti-social behaviour, and in reaction to this, last year, Merseyside Police made the area around the pub into a "designated area", meaning that officers could disperse groups and move people away from the area.

The police have vehemently stressed that Jones' murder is not gang-related. It is still not clear what the motive was, but a case of mistaken identity is being considered. Jones may have been caught in the 'crossfire' between gangs, and a football-related shooting has not been ruled out either.

The murder came just hours before the first anniversary of the killing of Liam Smith: the 19-year-old, an alleged member of the local gang "Norris Green Strand Crew", was shot dead by members of the rival "Croxteth Crew" gang as he walked out of Altcourse Prison, Merseyside, on 23 August 2006.

Description of the killer

The suspect is thought to be a white male, no older than 16, 5ft 8in tall, and of slim build. He was riding a black BMX bike and was wearing dark clothes, including a hooded top with a peak, and white trainers.

The police are keen to speak to the female driver of a red car who swerved to avoid a cyclist crossing Fir Tree Road North shortly after 7.30pm on the day of the shooting. They would also like to make contact once more with the man who phoned them on the Saturday after the shooting.

Tributes

Jones was a dedicated fan of Everton Football Club, and a season ticket holder. Players of the team laid a floral tribute, football boots and football shirts at the scene of the shooting, and players and fans paid tribute to Jones in a minute's applause at the home game with Blackburn Rovers, held on Saturday 25 August at Goodison Park.

After a suggestion from Liverpool Echo columnist Tony Barrett in his blog, which was supported by many of its readers, in an unprecedented move arch rivals Liverpool agreed to play the beginning of the Z-Cars theme tune Johnny Todd – the song that traditionally greets the arrival of the Everton team onto the Goodison Park pitch – prior to the Liverpool theme tune of You'll Never Walk Alone ahead of their UEFA Champions League game with Toulouse on 28 August. This was followed by a period of applause, and the Liverpool players and staff, Toulouse players and match day officials wore black armbands during the game.

Over 2500 mourners attended Rhys' funeral, which was held in Liverpool Cathedral on 6 September 2007. The family of Rhys issued a public invitation for well-wishers to attend the funeral service of their son. The service was in celebration of Rhys' life and his family had asked that bright clothes, or football strips, be worn. During the service, Rhys' father read a poem he had written for his son. Footballer Alan Stubbs read from the bible. After the service there was a private burial.

References

• Videos and galleries relating to Rhys Jones's death: Rhys Jones galleries and videos from the Liverpool Daily Post