Girl, 12, dies after being shot in head

Wed May 2, 2007 12:29am BST

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LONDON (Reuters) - A 12-year-old girl who was shot in the head in Manchester died on Tuesday, police said. A 16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The girl was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary on Monday night, suffering from critical injuries following the incident in the Gorton area of the city.

She was later transferred to Pendlebury Children's hospital but died on Tuesday morning.

Greater Manchester Police Superintendent John O'Hare said officers were called to a house in Gorton after reports of a shooting, but declined to say what type of gun had been fired.

"It is a powerful weapon, and it's a weapon that has killed a 12-year-old girl," he told reporters.

"It's a weapon that you shouldn't have and it's a weapon that shouldn't have been with the individual last night."

He said the shooting brought home "the tragic and really evil consequences of firearms within our community"

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