A man has been arrested after shots were fired at three locations in Liverpool on Wednesday night, Merseyside Police have said.

The 49-year-old was arrested by armed response officers in Fazakerley after a Taser was deployed.

The first report of shots was received from a shop, with further incidents outside a cinema and at a nearby property. No-one was injured in any of the incidents.

The man, who was arrested on suspicion of possession of a Section 1 firearm with intent to endanger life and robbery, has been taken to a police station in Merseyside where he remains in custody.

Assistant Chief Constable Jenn Wilson said: “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.”

Police were called to the News and Booze store (known locally as Sangha newsagents) on Lower House Lane, Norris Green, to reports a man had entered the shop at about 8pm, threatened the store assistant and demanded cash before firing a gun and leaving the store empty-handed.

The shop assistant was not injured during the incident, but was left extremely distressed.

Just before 8.50pm, police received a further call to report that shots had been fired outside the Showcase Cinema on Stonedale retail park in Croxteth.

A man armed with a gun was reported to have threatened two members of staff in the foyer and fired a number of shots in the air outside before escaping in a car.

Further reports were received that gunshots were heard at a property on Malpas Road at about 10.20pm.

“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,” said the assistant chief constable.

“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.

“Firearms have no place on our streets and we are committed to arresting those involved in gun crime and taking firearms off our streets.”

Stonedale retail park and all shops within the area will remain closed while officers continue investigations.