A total of 27 people were taken to the hospital by ambulance. Among them, two people, including a child, have serious injuries. In all, four children were hurt.
Twenty other people were treated right at the parade and didn’t need to go to the hospital. A paramedic on a bicycle was also hit by the car but thankfully wasn’t injured.
Firefighters had to rescue four people, including a child, who were stuck under the car, according to Nick Searle, the chief fire officer for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.
Emergency services rushed to Water Street after the police got calls about the accident just after 6 PM on Monday.
The car stopped, and the man from Liverpool was arrested. Police believe he was driving the car.
Merseyside Police assistant chief constable Jenny Sims said they don’t think this was a terrorist act. At a press conference, she mentioned that they believe this was a one-time event and are not looking for anyone else involved.
Sims expressed her sympathy for everyone hurt in this terrible situation and thanked the emergency services and bystanders who helped.
She noted that it had been a “happy day” in the city with many people celebrating Liverpool Football Club’s victory parade.
“Sadly, at 6 PM, as the parade was ending, we got reports of a car hitting several people on Water Street in Liverpool City Centre,” she said. “Many people were hurt and taken to the hospital, while others were treated on the spot.”
She also asked people not to share upsetting videos from the incident online but to send any footage to the police.
Sims explained that a strong traffic plan was in place for the parade, which included closing some roads.
A police spokesperson added, “Please don’t share distressing content online. Instead, send any videos or information directly to us @MerPolCC or call 101 and mention log 784. You can also share information anonymously through Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.”
Liverpool FC released a statement saying, “We are in touch with Merseyside Police about the incident on Water Street that happened near the end of the trophy parade. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this serious event. We will continue to support the emergency services and local authorities.”
Everton FC also shared their thoughts on social media, saying, “We are thinking of everyone affected by this serious incident in our city.”
Manchester United joined in, saying, “Our thoughts are with Liverpool FC and the city of Liverpool after today’s awful incident.”
The Premier League expressed their shock, saying, “Everyone at the Premier League is shocked by the terrible events in Liverpool this evening, and our heartfelt thoughts go out to all those injured and affected.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer mentioned he spoke with Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram about the terrible events. He said, “Tonight, I talked to Steve Rotheram about the awful events in Liverpool and the bravery shown by the police and emergency services. They are helping those injured in these terrible events. Everyone, especially kids, should be able to celebrate their heroes without fear. Liverpool has a strong history of coming together during tough times. The whole country stands with Liverpool.”
Mayor Rotheram added, “Our hearts go out to everyone affected, especially those injured. Thank you to the first responders for their quick action. This is a tough day for our city, but we stand united.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper called the scenes in Liverpool “truly shocking.” She thanked the police and emergency services for their quick response and said she was being kept updated on the situation.
Liverpool Riverside MP Kim Johnson, whose area includes the city center, said, “I hope everyone involved is safe and can return home to their loved ones soon.”
Liverpool FC held a parade to celebrate their Premier League title win, and many fans came out to cheer. Councillor John Hughes estimated that over a million people attended, which is more than the 750,000 who showed up for the 2019 Champions League parade.
Eyewitness Natasha Rinaldi said she was watching the parade from her friend’s window when she heard screams. “It was so loud. People sounded desperate. Then we looked out the window and saw the car run over people,” she told Sky News. She added that people rushed to try to stop the driver and break the car windows, while police worked to control the crowd.
Another eyewitness, Chelsea Yuen, shared her experience: “My friend, her partner, and their daughter were walking up Water Street, and it was super crowded. Then we heard beeping and screams. We looked up and saw a black car driving straight toward us. My friend and I jumped out of the way and pulled her little girl to safety. The car was going about 30 mph, and we saw people chasing after it.”
Harry Rashid, another eyewitness, said, “We were walking up Water Street with my family when I saw the car hit a few people before stopping. We were shocked and confused, and there were a lot of screams. People started rushing toward the car, trying to break the windows.”
A person was driving in a busy area when things took a scary turn. At first, I thought the driver had accidentally driven into a crowd of people. I felt really worried for him because it seemed like the crowd was getting angry and might hurt him.
Suddenly, the driver pressed down on the gas pedal and zoomed through the crowd! There were lots of people shouting and screaming. I couldn’t believe my eyes!
My kids were with me, and they started to scream too. We were all confused and scared about what was happening.
At first, I thought the driver had made a mistake. He was driving slowly, almost like he was trying to be careful. But then, he sped up and hit a few people. It looked like he tried to stop but ended up hitting more people instead.
The crowd was really upset. They rushed towards the car, trying to get the driver out or break the windows.
When the driver pressed the gas pedal again, I couldn’t tell if he was scared or if he meant to do it. He drove right into the people in front of him and just kept going. It was a really shocking moment for everyone there.