Man arrested after allegedly driving automobile into crowd at Liverpool FC trophy parade; no less than 27 hospitalized

A 53-year-old man was detained Monday after he allegedly drove a car right into a crowd on the Liverpool Soccer Membership trophy parade in Liverpool, England, injuring over two dozen individuals.
Police have been referred to as to the scene within the metropolis middle, greater than 200 miles northwest of London, at about 1 p.m. ET (6 p.m. native time) following stories of a automobile colliding with “various pedestrians,” the Merseyside Police initially stated on social media. A 53-year-old White British man from the Liverpool space was arrested shortly after the incident, based on Assistant Chief Constable Jennifer Sims.
Sims stated at a information convention that she believes the person who was arrested was the motive force of the car. Investigators additionally imagine the incident was remoted and no different suspects are being sought. The incident just isn’t being handled as terrorism, Sims stated.
“It’s vital that individuals don’t speculate or unfold misinformation on social media,” she stated, asking individuals to chorus from sharing any distressing footage of the incident.
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David Kitchen of the North West Ambulance Service stated 27 sufferers have been taken to the hospital, together with 4 youngsters. Three of the victims have been being handled for severe accidents, Kitchen stated on the identical information convention.
First responders rescued three adults and a baby who have been trapped underneath a car, based on Merseyside Hearth Chief Nick Searle.
Liverpool FC stated in an earlier assertion, “We’re in direct contact with Merseyside Police relating to the incident on Water Avenue which occurred in direction of the tip of the trophy parade earlier this night. Our ideas and prayers are with those that have been affected by this severe incident.”
Tens of hundreds of followers had gathered for the parade Monday, lining the streets to look at Liverpool’s gamers show the Premier League trophy. Liverpool’s final league title got here in 2020 however pandemic restrictions prevented a celebration on the time.
Harry Rashid, who was on the parade along with his spouse and two younger daughters, advised The Related Press a automobile started ramming individuals about 10 ft away from him.
“It was extraordinarily quick,” Rashid stated. “Initially, we simply heard the pop, pop, pop of individuals simply being knocked off the bonnet of a automobile.”
One other witness, Luke Dutch, advised CBS Information the driving appeared “undoubtedly intentional” and the “driver simply shut the door and did not appear to care” earlier than working over individuals.
Pictures from the scene confirmed a number of ambulances and first responders, and an ambulance service stated it was responding to the incident.
North West Ambulance Service “is supporting an incident in Liverpool metropolis centre, following stories of a street site visitors collision,” the group stated in an announcement. “We’re at present assessing the state of affairs and dealing with different members of the emergency providers. Our precedence is to make sure individuals obtain the medical assist they want as rapidly as doable.”
Danny Lawson/PA Photos through Getty Photos
U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on social media that “the scenes in Liverpool are appalling.”
“My ideas are with all these injured or affected,” he wrote. “I wish to thank the police and emergency providers for his or her swift and ongoing response to this surprising incident.”
The Merseyside Police stated an investigation into the collision was underway.
Police recognized the suspect as White, in a doable resolution to forestall misinformation from flooding social media.
“We might ask individuals to not speculate on the circumstances surrounding tonight’s incident on Water Avenue in Liverpool metropolis centre,” the police wrote on social media. “Intensive enquiries are ongoing to ascertain the circumstances main as much as the collision.”
Final summer season, a teen within the close by city of Southport killed three women in a stabbing rampage at a dance class and wounded 10 others, together with two adults. An incorrect title of the suspect was unfold on social media and folks stated he was an asylum seeker. In reality, he had been born within the U.Okay. Rioting unfold throughout England and Northern Eire, focusing on Muslims and refugees in accommodations of asylum seekers, and lasting a couple of week.
Emmet Lyons and
contributed to this report.