London, May 27 (AP) — A 53-year-old white British man drove his minivan into a crowd of Liverpool soccer fans on Monday during their celebration of the city’s Premier League championship, turning joyous shouts into cries of terror and injuring over 45 people. The incident is not being considered an act of terrorism, and the driver, who was arrested, is believed to have acted alone, according to police.
Dave Kitchin from North West Air Ambulance reported that 27 people were taken to the hospital, including two with severe injuries, while 20 others received on-the-spot treatment for minor wounds, with at least four children among the injured. Firefighters had to lift the vehicle to rescue four victims trapped beneath it, and among the injured was a medic who had been on duty on a bicycle.
A social media video showed a grey minivan hitting at least one pedestrian before veering into the crowd, plowing through the assembled fans and scattering bodies along the street before coming to a stop. Harry Rashid, who was present with his wife and two daughters, described the vehicle’s approach as “extremely fast.”
“Initially, we heard the repeated sound of people being knocked off the bonnet of the car,” Rashid explained. He further described how the crowd confronted the halted vehicle, smashing its windows.
“Then he accelerated again, charging through the rest of the crowd, continuing on with people still in his path,” Rashid added. “It seemed deliberate. My daughter started screaming as innocent fans lay on the ground, just there to enjoy the parade.”
Tens of thousands of Liverpool supporters had gathered to celebrate the team's record-tying 20th top-flight title. Peter Jones, who had traveled from the Isle of Man, recounted hearing the car crash into the crowd and seeing multiple people down.
“We heard frantic beeping, then a car sped past us with people chasing it and trying to stop the driver as windows shattered,” Jones said. “The car then drove further into the crowd, while police and medics rushed past us, attending to those on the roadside.”
Merseyside Police are working to determine the cause of the incident, urging people not to speculate or distribute distressing content online. Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the scenes as appalling and stated he is being kept updated on the situation.
The last time Liverpool won the league title was in 2020, but public celebrations were curtailed due to COVID restrictions. This time, despite the wet weather, fans with scarves and flags lined the streets to celebrate as Liverpool’s players paraded atop two buses with “Ours Again” emblazoned on them.
The procession, closely monitored by a significant police presence, moved slowly along a 16-kilometer route amid red smoke and rain, with fireworks lighting up the sky from the Royal Liver Building. In a brief statement, the team expressed its thoughts and prayers for those affected, and the Premier League shared shock at the “appalling events in Liverpool.”
Police identified the suspect’s race to prevent misinformation from proliferating on social media. Last summer, erroneous identification of a suspect led to social unrest across England, highlighting the importance of accurate information.
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