LONDON (Reuters) - Police began an international hunt for two men on Tuesday over the murder of a teenager bludgeoned to death with an axe in a racist attack in Liverpool.
Anthony Walker, 18, was beaten to death by a gang of three to four men on Friday evening in Liverpool, just minutes after he had been taunted with racist abuse while standing with his white girlfriend.
Police on Monday arrested two men, aged 26 and 29, on suspicion of murder and named two others they wanted to question in connection with the savage attack.
Merseyside detectives believe the two men, Paul Taylor, 20, and 18-year-old Michael Barton -- said by media to be the brother of Manchester City football player Joey Barton -- may have already left the country.
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Newspapers suggested they might have gone to Amsterdam.
Police already have a 17-year-old in custody and an 18-year-old has been released on bail.
All of those wanted or arrested over the attack are from Huyton, the Liverpool neighbourhood where Walker was killed in a murder police have called a "despicable act".
Walker was a black local college student described as a devout Christian.
Detectives said Walker had been abused by a man wearing a hooded top as he waited with his 17-year-old girlfriend and his cousin, also 17, at a bus stop in Huyton.
The trio did not respond and were moving away through a park when the gang attacked him.
Walker’s girlfriend and cousin ran to get help. When they returned they found the victim slumped on the ground with serious injuries to his head. He later died in hospital.
