Merseyside Police has confirmed 47 people, including a number of children, have been injured after a car rammed into crowds in Liverpool city centre.
Speaking at a press conference this evening, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims confirmed a 53-year-old white British male from the Liverpool area arrested earlier this evening was the driver of the vehicle and the incident is not being treated as a terror incident.
Sims confirmed four of the injured were children.
Some 20 patients were treated at the scene and did not require hospital treatment.
Officers confirmed a further 27 patients in total were taken to hospital.
Two, including one child, have sustained serious injuries, said North West Ambulance Service spokesman David Kitchin.
Jenny Sims from Merseyside Police speaking
PA/GB News
Police cordoned off the area Reuters Sims thanked members of the public who helped those injured after a car ploughed into people in Liverpool city centre.
Four people, including a child, were lifted from beneath the car that ploughed into crowds in Liverpool city centre, chief fire officer for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service Nick Searle said.
Liverpool City Council leader Liam Robinson urged people not to share footage on social media of the car ploughing into pedestrians at the Premier League victory parade.
Speaking at the press conference, Robinson said: “I’d like to start by saying on behalf of everyone in Liverpool, how much our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this appalling incident in the city centre. It has cast a very dark shadow over what had been a joyous day for the city and the finale to a fabulous bank holiday weekend.”
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North West Ambulance Service’s Dave Kitchin, Merseyside Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims and Nick Searle, chief fire officer for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service
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Sims said a “robust” traffic management plan had been in place for the parade.
She said: “In the lead-up to this event, we had been working closely with event organisers and a robust traffic management plan was put in place for the parade, which included a number of road closures throughout the route and the city centre.”
The Chief Constable urged people to refrain from sharing “distressing footage” from the incident online, but called for videos to be passed to the police.
“This had been a joyous day in Liverpool with hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets to celebrate Liverpool Football Club’s victory parade,” she said.
The aftermath of the scene in Liverpool Reuters Searle said: “We immediately mobilised three fire engines to Water Street and were in attendance in four minutes. On arrival, the crews were met with numerous injured… and four persons trapped under a vehicle.
“Our crews rapidly lifted the vehicle, removed three adults and one child from beneath and passed them to our ambulance service colleagues.
“We then worked with emergency service partners to ensure casualties received medical treatment and transport to hospital as quickly as possible.”
He added: “My fire crews will maintain a visible and reassuring presence in the coming days and weeks.”
