OK, so the people who think the police aren't doing enough for cracking down on gangs are at fault or the parents and child are at fault. Holding back information are they? Seems to me the criminals are at fault. I will leave the solution to someone else, I just can't help noticing all the blame shifting going on here.

Mark, Monroe, USA, WI

Politicians are in denial about the true state of our country. We heard from the Lord Mayor a Mr Paul Clark that Liverpool was the second safest city in the country. Now I ask you if Liverpool is the second safest how bad are all the other cities. The real villains responsible for our decaying society live at the heart of our local and national governments. It's now time for a hard line government to step into the political arena and sweep away the pathetic social engineering experiments of the lib,lab, con coalition. This country needs an enema.

Steve P, Leeds, England

Permit the neighbors of the slain boy special police authority to 'interrogate' the non-cooperating youths in custody. Be sure the police leave the room, so proper pressure could be applied. I think you could find the name and location of the shooter in a few short hours, and his accomplaces in custody would have a new appreciation of fear. You cannot win by channeling your frustration against the police. The pressure should be focused on the isolated gang members. Even though they did not and do not meet with community expectations, certainly they was not wanting this to occur. Focus on the punks.

Marty Brister, Kettering, USA Ohio

Douglass Dunning,
Hopefully your comment is sarcastic. This story is shocking because this type of gun violence is extremely rare in England. This story would barely register in the United States.

John Shales, Washington, DC

Young kids in Liverpool are being given the wrong messages from a very early age. They see the local dealers driving round in their BMWs and Lexus cars, known but free to carry on their trade, and they want a piece of it. Easy money and no risk. Until the police start clearing the dealers - big and small - off the streets, the young kids of 9 and 10 will still think of dealing as an easy way to earn big money. Spending £20m and 5 years putting 'Mr big' away achieves nothing. Our kids need to see their friends being picked up and jailed. Maybe then they wont think drugs is an easy option. Make no mistake - Drugs and Guns go hand in hand. I saw a youth worker this morning on BBC and he said intervention is needed at an early age - 14 is too late. The kids we need to reach are 9 years old. And he was right. I despair of the UK. It is out of control, politicians are wallowing and the police are totally useless. The kids rule.

Caroline Osborne, warrington,

I reckon these youngsters are sent out on blooding exercises, just like the kids in the parts of Africa. This may be a very sick way of proving how accurate and bold they are. Heaven help all of us, and protect us from these demons. They have no soul, more and more murders by youths and females are randomly committed almost daily. This just like a normal week in Jo'burg. If these teenagers are so dangerous, Should not the death penalty be reintroduced. Society will never tame these feral people!

mags, Bournemouth, Dorset UK

Hope it will be investigated whether the killer intended to murder three children There were, apparently, three children present and the killer fired three times. His crime may well go even further than the murder he managed to commit. If so, he must account for murder and attempted murder. And no sob stories about his deprived youth please. It is not a given - as we are all weary of arguing - that deprivation/absent father/rough background equals or justifies murder

cath, london,

This is all down to the lack of policing - there should be 10 times the level of police on our streets as there is now.
The criminals know that they can get away with all sorts because of the lack of police response.

When they catch the piece of scum that did this - instead of mollycoddling him like they invariably will - throw him to the crowd !!!!!!!

F.J.Brown, Liverpool , UK

Dixon of Dock Green was,of course, a fictional character .In addition in the feature film in which he first appeared prior to the TV series he had been shot dead! Sadly his quiet firm manner wasn't that successful.

John, Sheffield,

When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. Every citizen should be legally armed and allowed to protect him/herself and his/her loved ones. My roots are in England and Wales, and it pains me to see the drug related violence that is so rampant in the UK and here in the U.S.A. It seems that the police everywhere have excuses in the form of laws that hamper or discourage them from taking charge. It is so much easier to just sluff it off or wait and see what happens next. So often it is up to the individual to do his/her own investigating, and then he/she is criticized and often prosecuted for doing what the law should have done in the first place. All it takes for the forces of evil to win in the world is for a few good men (and women) to do nothing.

Gordon A. Sutton, Titusville, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

The real problem is the gang culture on either side of Croxteth Park and the poor parenting that this stems from. If parents are unable to bring their children up properly the children should be put into young offenders institutions or boot camps until they learn some discipline and start to develop some real self esteem based on achievements. These kids are bored stiff because they've never been taught concentration or interacted in any way with by their parents who just abandon them to their own devices at a very young age. These parents don't seem to grasp that parenting these days is 24/7 and full on. The kids do badly at school and turn to violence out of a complete lack of any kind of culture or responsibility.

MBC, Edinburgh,

This is very sad that such a tragedy gives Americans a chance to say "I told you so" to our friends in Britain. I really feel for the parents and friends of this senselessness.
Gangs and PC, our nations are truly linked in symbiosis. Political Correctness is an Orwellian nightmare. One that will enslave decent people.
I don't want to point my finger in your faces, but the question must be asked. Weren't you all told by Parliament that if you give up firearm ownership, your lives would be safer?
It is obvious again that governments lie to the people in order to gain power over the people. Criminals will always be able to get firearms. Period. That is the consistency of criminals. They ALWAYS break the law. Only law-abiding citizens in the UK gave up their guns. Now there is a child killed by a gun in a country without guns?
Our US 2nd Amendment is just an overstatement of the fact that all good-citizens have a right, given by God, to defend themselves.

Brock, Nashville, Tennessee, United States

What an awful terrible tragedy!
Our hearts go out to family & friends at a time like this and pray that the community finds some answers.

Somewhere Anthony Burgess is sadly saying 'i told you so'

Quick comment - our family supports 2nd amendment too, but for shame! to those who misuse this poor lad's death to
politicize gun rights.

terry cox, delaware , ohio usa

United States Constitution: 2nd Amendment : "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." In short, pack heat and shoot back.

J. Roth, Port Orchard, Washington, USA

A lot of good gun control has done. A weak police force that is incapable of handling some teenage thugs and a weak citizenry incapable of protecting itself. But don't worry, I'm sure that £20,000 police pod will do the trick.

A multitude of laws in a country is like a great number of physicians, a sign of weakness and malady.
-- Voltaire

John, Pensacola, FL

Gun control really seems to be working well. Now you have a weak citizenry incapable of protecting itself that is relying on a government bureaucracy as the primary means for protection. But don't worry, I'm sure that £20,000 police pod will do the trick.

A multitude of laws in a country is like a great number of physicians, a sign of weakness and malady.
-- Voltaire

John, Pensacola, FL

Gee and i thought guns were banned in england.....
And, seeing as simon peter doesnt have the balls to stand up for what is right.... maybe bush could use a few more good men.
I spent my time on the line simon, how about you?

R Smith, Aurora, Colorado

The USA is NOT the Murder Capital of the World! South Africa and Russia are!

Here are the Stats of Murders Per 100,000 Citizens!

Thanks JULES of Canada, who Knows NOTHING!

50.14 South Africa
21.40 Russia (1999)
10.00 Lithuania
_9.94 Estonia
_6.22 Latvia
_5.64 U.S.A.
_2.94 Spain
_2.86 Finland
_2.84 Northern Ireland
_2.72 Czech Republic
_2.65 Slovakia
_2.58 New Zealand
_2.50 Romania
_2.31 Turkey (1999)
_2.23 Poland
_2.11 Scotland

Chris Baker, Hayward, California

The gang culture is a threat to civilization worldwide. It is probably a greater threat than terrorism. Things seem to be getting worse. Here in the United States, for the longest time, the gang problem was primarily a scourge of the big cities. Now, however, gangs have moved into smaller municipalities and rural areas. If the civilized world does nothing to thwart the proliferation of the gang culture, what we used to know as nice, safe places to live will begin to resemble Afghanistan, Somolia, or Columbia. I do not want to live in a place like that!

Gary H. Johnson, Enid, Oklahoma/United States

There is a culture in Liverpool of 'not grassing'. Don't tell on your neighbour who is on the dole but working; don't grass on your mate who handles stolen goods. Being a Grass is akin to being a child molester. Perhaps the good people of Liverpool should think on this - turning a blind eye to a 10 year old out of control, never at school, dealing a bit of weed and selling illegal fags gives him the message at a young age that he is untouchable and everyone is scared of him. It's a short step then to start dealing hard drugs, running with the big boys and carrying a gun. You all bear some responsibility for what goes on in your city. The image of the cheeky scouser is long gone now - wake up and grow up. These are YOUR children running wild. Feel some shame and try and make amends.

Ray Russell, Liverpool,

This has nothing to do with gun control! I love the comments from the people of the U.S. who have the most gun murders in the world. Britain (my homeland) has very few gun murders annually. This is all about lack of policing and the war between the haves and the have-nots. Drugs, money and guns all go together in the criminal world. Teenagers pitted against one another because of where they live and what they own, and sometimes worst of all, the colour of their skin. Thank goodness that all involved were not armed, there could have been a shoot out and there would have been more innocent victims. It will be interesting when there is an arrest to see where the gun originated and how it got into the country.

Jules, Toronto, Canada

How on earth has this Country been allowed (by the Government) to get in such a position that we have lots of young children running rampant with guns and effectively ruling over us ?.It is disgusting and it is urgently required that the Government stop talking crap and get on and do something constructive. My opinion is that we have allowed too many foreigners in who bring their guns and alien cultures with them.
Bring back 1960's and 70's and the good times that they were.

Patrick, Brighton, UK

Something needs to be done about both Norris Green and Croxteth. The majority of state benefit claiming layabouts who live there should be evicted. These estates have massive unemployment rates that have not been tackled under this Labour Government. If you have all day to cause trouble then that's what you do. I heard a man speaking on local radio who said that, as part of his job, he has to visit people's homes. He complained that, as a full time worker on a reasonable income, he couldn't afford the latest wide screen TVs and every latest gadget and facility that the unemployed have. So what exactly has gone wrong? The Government funding of these state benefit claimants, that's what. The problem of these kids roaming the streets in some feral fashion began under Thatcher and has thrived under Blair and Brown. The Labour option has been very bad for these estates. These trouble makers need to be occupied, they need work and quickly.

Judy , Liverpool, england

I truly believe this is what political correctness has wrought in terms of making excuses for this kind of behavior over the years. Also, really tough gang to go out and shoot an unarmed little kid. Just shows how pathetic these gangs are and how they should be dealt with and that's with absolute malice by the police and judicial system. Yet, political correctness will make excuses for whoever committed this crime.

James, Huntsville, AL, USA

This is impossible. Why, it MUST be an utter fabrication. The UK's absolute ban on handguns means that criminals, punks and chavs can't can't get their hands on guns, correct? Therefore this must be false. A ban on guns means there are no guns and no gun violence. Right? Right...No? You mean...the police can't protect you, just put up more cameras to possibly ID the suspect after the crime is committed and you're quite possibly dead?

Fascinating.

VoiceOfReality, Bedford, New Hampshire, USA

Well it seems that the U. K.'s total ban on firearms is working against you; now only the criminals have guns!
We told you so!
The U. K. is now more violent than the U. S. A..
Too bad you don't have a 2nd Amendment like we Americans do.
You Brits even prosecute your citizens that injure a criminal while defending themselves. Now how stupid is that?
Now pay attention please....WHEN YOU TAKE AWAY FIREARMS FROM HONEST CITIZENS, AND LEAVE THEM DEFENSLESS, ONLY THE CRIMINALS WILL HAVE FIREARMS.
How stupid you all look allowing only criminals to have guns. Americans and Brits may be cousins, but you certainly are on the dumb side of the family.
"THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS..."
It's as American as apple pie.
We love you anyway; your part of our family.

Ken Weaver, New Plymouth , Idaho U.S.A.

With all the repressive anti-gun laws I'm surprised more defensive innocents aren't gunned down in the UK. Who's to stop them? Police can't be everywhere at once. In fact they can only be a very few places at once.

W, Nash, USA

It's no good blaming the police, the fault lies with the child and his parents, and stops there. It's little wonder that people from sink estates are so often vilified by the rest of us when they won't give the police the information that they so need in such an horrific case .

Stuart, Southampton, Hampshire

For God's sake do something about the UK gangs and drugs problem before it becomes as bad as it is here in the US. Only the super rich here can afford protection and they are the ones who live in the huge mansions and elite gated communities patrolled by armed guards and guard dogs. There has to be community involvement to help the police with their jobs and stronger laws to keep the repeat offenders and violent criminals behind bars or deported if they are trouble making and or illegal immigrants. We reap what we sow and right now the harvest is the bloodiest i've ever seen.

Coppertop 8690, Los Angeles, Calif USA

We live within streets of a very deprived area, where many young people take BMX typebikes, from one area to another & drop them. (Similar to what happens with cars.) These cars and bikes are frequently used in crimes, (low level & otherwise.)
The trust in our neighbourhoods between authority figures such as Police & Council has not been high during the past 10 years. But it is diving now.
Even more so since ASBO's and Section 30 orders, where Police arbitarily move kids on, even when they are doing nothing, but sitting on a wall.
Some high schools youngsters tell me that being moved on 3 TIMES per week is usual!
Police refuse to even talk with them, ( I am told.)
The Police are so enforcement oriented now, building neighbourhood relationships are very much secondary.
Even C.S.O.'s who were supposed to forge friendly links are now enforcement.
Small wonder that this move by Police to get communities to talk is meeting silence. There has been little mutual trust building.

Pat van der Veer , Wallasey ,Merseyside, England

Vote for the BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY.
Get your country and your kids back!

No other political group has the courage to stand up for the Children of Britain.

www.bnp.org.uk

Kate the Discerning Voter, Salford, England the Brave!

Brian- the issue is that in the George Dixon era, police were there to serve the whiole community. Now the police force has been thoroughly politicised, senior officers are chosen only on the basis of mindnumbing political correctness, and it serves only Labour and Labour's client groups, which includes yobs and their parents. No matter how perverse, Labour sees them as part of their bank of voters, so the police know they can't touch them - Gordon and his trendy cronies would be down like a ton of bricks. It all comes down to votes.

Doug, Glasgow,

this is what you have to live with when you have gun control.i am sorry that this young boy had to pay to pay with his life because liberal policies.

bruce, bristol r.i., usa

england ??

land of baby mafia

alex, milan, italy

This is what you get with gun control. An unarmed public afraid of armed gangs! Poor child gave his life because the citizens leave their defense to "police"
who can't be everywhere at the same time. The gangs are to blame but the community allow gangs free reign!

Douglas Dunning, Ruther Glen, U.S.A. Virginia

It is so dissapointing what this world is becoming. Like it says in the article and I quote, " Does a child need to be shot before something is done?" I am 13 and from the state of Hawaii and I am doing a current event on this, I go to a Private Christian School. My condolences go out to the family. I am so sorry this happened to you out of all the people. God be with you and your family. I am praying for you and will continue to do so. Dejah.

Dejah , Honolulu, Hawaii

Kids with guns! Wow! Why not send em to Iraq? I'm sure Bush n Co could use a few more hands.

simon peter, The Ming,

Remember " Dixon of Dock Green ", the friendly and fatherly policeman with the common touch, who knew everybody on his 'patch'.
The policeman who was not shackled by his response to events, who could deal with matters in a quiet, firm manner before things got out of hand, especially when dealing with a youngster threatening to get out of control.
Is there a valid reason why the police budget couldn't be man/woman orientated, rather than on equipment ?

Brian Charles Seals, Scarborough, Nth Yorks, UK