Summary:
- Twenty-seven people, including four children, have been hospitalized after a car drove into crowds during Liverpool FC’s victory parade.
- A 53-year-old man was arrested; police say the incident is not terrorism-related.
- Officials praised the rapid response of emergency services.
A tragic turn of events ruined what should have been a day of celebration in Liverpool, as a vehicle plowed into a crowd during the city’s Premier League victory parade, sending 27 people to the hospital, including four children.
According to officials, one child and one adult suffered serious injuries, while around 20 others received treatment on the spot for minor wounds.
“Joy and Happiness” Turned Into “Fear and Terror“
Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram told BBC Radio 5 Live on Tuesday that four people remain “very, very ill in hospital”.
The incident unfolded just after 6 p.m. on Monday, not long after the Liverpool team bus passed through the area.
Eyewitnesses reported a grey people carrier suddenly accelerating into pedestrians, sparking chaos and panic. “It was a horrible scene”, Natasha Rinaldi told Sky News. “I could just hear screams and screams”.
Another eyewitness, off-duty BBC reporter Dan Ogunshakin, described the shift in mood:
What had once been an atmosphere of celebration and joy and happiness suddenly turned into fear and terror and disbelief.
Driver Arrested at the Scene
The driver, a 53-year-old white British man from the Merseyside area, was arrested at the scene.
Police have confirmed the incident is not being treated as terrorism-related. Former police officer Dal Babu speculated that the quick release of the suspect’s description was an attempt to stem social media misinformation.
Emergency responders quickly filled the street. A Reuters photographer on site described scenes of emergency services rushing to aid the injured, carrying victims on stretchers and trying to manage the chaos.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson praised the response crews and the local community on Sky News
We were all shocked by what we saw. I want to pay tribute to the emergency services for their phenomenal response… and also to the community for everything they have done so far in pulling together.
Phillipson further declined to comment on the decision to release the driver’s identity, stating:
These are operational matters for the police… I don’t think it’s right for politicians to make judgments on that.
The vehicle struck about ten minutes after the Liverpool team bus had passed, a detail that only deepens the shock for many.
“This has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day”, Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson posted online.
Liverpool FC had last celebrated a title win during pandemic restrictions, making Monday’s parade especially meaningful, until it turned into tragedy.