Driver Arrested for Attempted Murder after Liverpool Parade Crash

Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill said the suspect is also being held on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drugs.

The incident occurred late Monday afternoon, abruptly turning the championship parade into chaos. At least 50 people were taken to hospitals, with 11 still receiving treatment Tuesday – all in stable condition.

Among the injured were four children, one of whom was trapped beneath the vehicle along with three adults before being rescued.

Police had closed off much of the area to traffic, but the driver is believed to have maneuvered around a roadblock by following an ambulance that was rushing to assist a person suspected of having a heart attack, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said.

Merseyside Police said they were not treating the incident as terrorism and were not looking for other suspects. The driver has not been identified. Police in Britain typically do not name suspects until they are formally charged.

Detectives are still working to determine why the minivan veered into crowds packing a narrow street shortly after Liverpool Football Club players wrapped up a victory parade on an open-top bus.

The incident cast a shadow over a city with deep emotional ties to its football team and a history of tragedy. The attack prompted widespread expressions of shock, sadness and solidarity.

“It is truly devastating to see that what should have been a joyous celebration for many could end in such distressing circumstances,” King Charles III said in a statement while visiting Canada. “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”

Water Street, near the River Mersey in the heart of the city, was cordoned off with police tape. A blue tent was erected on the road, which was strewn with the detritus of celebration – bottles, cans and Liverpool flags.

Teams of officers in white forensic suits scoured the damp streets for evidence and photographed clothing and other items left behind as fans fled the chaotic scene.

Hundreds of thousands of Liverpudlians had filled the streets of the northwestern port city on Monday to celebrate Liverpool’s record-tying 20th top-flight title.

As the parade was winding down, a minivan turned onto a restricted street just off the main route and rammed into a sea of fans wearing red Liverpool scarves, jerseys and memorabilia. A video posted on social media shows the van striking a man – sending him airborne – before veering into a larger crowd, carving a path through supporters and pushing bodies along the street before stopping.

“It was extremely fast,” said Harry Rashid, who was with his wife and two young daughters as the van passed. “Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people being knocked off the bonnet of the car.”

Rashid said the crowd rushed the stopped vehicle and began smashing its windows.

“But then he put his foot down again and just plowed through the rest of them. He just kept going,” Rashid said. “It was horrible. And you could hear the bumps as he was going over people.”

Police quickly identified the suspect as a white local man to prevent misinformation from flooding social media, Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said.

Rotheram said police acted appropriately to tamp down speculation as false rumors of another attack spread rapidly online.

“Social media is a cesspit,” he said. “It was designed to inflame. It was designed to divide. The message of hate doesn’t go down well here.”

Last summer, a teen in the nearby town of Southport killed three girls in a stabbing rampage at a dance class and wounded 10 others, including two adults. An incorrect name was circulated online, with claims the attacker was an asylum-seeker. In fact, he was born in the U.K. Riots spread across England and Northern Ireland, targeting Muslims and refugees in hotels housing asylum-seekers, and lasted about a week.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he was appalled by the tragedy. He praised the bravery of rescuers and said the nation’s thoughts were with Liverpool.

“Scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation,” Starmer said Tuesday. “Liverpool stands together, and the whole country stands with Liverpool.”

The storied franchise has endured two of the worst disasters in European football history.

Liverpool fans were widely blamed for the 1985 disaster at Heysel Stadium in Belgium, when 39 people – mostly supporters of Italian team Juventus – died after Liverpool fans surged into the rival supporters’ section.

Four years later, 97 Liverpool fans died in a crush at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield.

Source: Daily Sabah