A 49-year-old man has been arrested after reports shots were fired at three locations in Liverpool on Wednesday night, Merseyside Police have said.
It comes after a major incident was declared as armed officers launched a manhunt following the shooting reports.
Merseyside Police said that at about 8.50pm on Wednesday they received reports a firearm had been discharged in Showcase Cinemas on East Lancashire Road in the Croxteth area.
According to reports, a man with a gun entered the cinema complex and threatened two members of staff in the foyer before leaving.
Outside he fired a number of shots in the air before escaping in a car.
The incident came 20 minutes after reports shots were fired at a business on Lower House Lane.
The force said no one was injured, and that while the event was not terrorist related, it was being treated as a major incident.
At about 10.20pm further reports were received that gun shots were heard at a property on Malpas Road.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenn Wilson said: “I can report that a 49-year-old man has been arrested following three firearms discharges in the Croxteth and Norris Green areas last night.
“Thankfully incidents like this, involving a single offender in three separate shootings in close proximity and quick succession, are extremely rare and this is the first time we have had to deal with an incident of this nature on the streets of Merseyside.
“The shocking and distressing impact these incidents will have had on the shop assistant, the staff at the Showcase Cinema and those filmgoers who found themselves in a lockdown situation in the complex after shots were fired outside the cinema and the residents of Malpas Road cannot be underestimated.
“Officers were on the ground immediately following the first incident and were able to respond swiftly to the subsequent discharges, and a male was identified, located and arrested on suspicion of all three discharges within 13 hours.
“High visibility patrols will remain in the area to reassure members of the local community.”
