Merseyside Police arrested a 53-year-old man on the scene shortly after 6pm on Monday 26 May
Four people remain in a "very, very ill" condition after a car ploughed into a crowd during Liverpool FC' s victory parade, Metro Mayor of Liverpool Steve Rotheram has said.
The "horror" incident on Water Street resulted in 47 pedestrians, including four children, being injured – with one child seriously injured.
Merseyside Police arrested a 53-year-old man on the scene shortly after 6pm on Monday 26 May.
The force said the suspect was the driver of the car, white, British and from the Liverpool area and that the incident is not being treated as terrorism.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his and "the thoughts of the whole country are with all of those that are affected", while former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who attended the Premier League title parade, said he was “shocked and devastated”.
47 pedestrians, including four children, were injured in the crash.
Footage circulating online appeared to show people in the crowd following the Liverpool FC celebrations attempting to get close to the driver of the car, with one person managing to open the driver’s car door on Water Street.
Videos then appeared to show the driver close the car door before suddenly speeding up and veering into pedestrians on both sides of the crowded street.
The clips posted on social media then showed people from the crowds attempt to chase the driver – with some kicking the vehicle and smashing the back window.
Officers quickly surrounded the car as witnesses attempted to stop the driver, who was eventually detained by police.
Speaking on Tuesday 27 May, Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said he was hopeful that those seriously injured “pull through very, very quickly”.
“The actual incident in Water Street will live with those people for all the wrong reasons, and that’s where we have to really focus our minds.
“There are still four people who are very, very ill in hospital and we are hoping of course that they pull through very, very quickly.”
Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said the mood in the city had moved from shock to reflection and relief nobody had been killed and that the “big question” was how the incident was able to happen.
## Liverpool parade crash: 'We all just panicked we didn’t know where to run'## Everything we know as car crashes into fans during Liverpool parade
He said: “Water Street was not a route where vehicles were supposed to be using it, it was blocked off.
"At this end of it, which is the direction that it was coming in, towards The Strand, there were literally hundreds of thousands of people here, so no vehicle would have got through anyway.
"And the questions, I suppose, are legitimate, but we have to give the police the time to conclude their investigations, which is what they’re doing.”
Mr Rotheram said rumours were spread online “really quickly”.
He said: “If you have a look at my timeline there was somebody very quickly saying ‘why are you lying? There’s been another incident in another part of the city’, which obviously wasn’t true.
“And then they were trying to stir up who might be responsible for it, and that’s why I think the police acted, not just appropriately, but very, very quickly, to dampen that sort of speculation because it was designed to inflame. It was designed to divide. The message of hate doesn’t go down well here.”
Asked what the police decision to release details of the suspect’s race said about the state of the country, he said: “It says that social media is a cesspit.”
The Prime Minister has been in close contact with Steve Rotheram about the incident.
The prime minister said he was in close contact with Mr Rotheram about the incident, adding: “Scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation, and my thoughts and the thoughts of the whole country are with all of those that are affected, those injured, which of course includes children, their families, their friends, the whole community, Liverpool fans everywhere."
Sir Keir Starmer also said it was a “matter for the police” that they gave details about the man who was arrested.
A witness, who gave their name as Mark, told ITV News a woman had said a baby had been hit by a car during the incident.
He said: “A woman ran by me and said the baby got hit by the car. She was running round looking for help.
"She came to us and we just directed her to the police and ambulance.”
An ambulance at the scene in Water Street. Credit: PA Images
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who attended the Premier League title parade said he was “shocked and devastated”.
In a post on Instagram, Klopp said: “My family and I are shocked and devastated. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are injured and affected.
“You’ll never walk alone.”
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who attended the Premier League title parade posted on Instagram that he was shocked and devastated. Credit: @Kloppo
Liverpool FC chief executive Billy Hogan thanked the club’s supporters who “helped each other” after a car drove through fans celebrating in the city on Monday.
He said: “On behalf of all of us here at Liverpool Football Club, I would like to extend our heartfelt thoughts to all those who’ve been affected by this appalling incident on Water Street yesterday evening.
“This weekend was one of celebration, emotion and joy spread across the city in our entire fanbase, and it ended in unimaginable scenes of distress with this appalling incident.
“I’d like to pay tribute to our emergency services and partner agencies – Merseyside Police, North West and St John Ambulance Services, and Merseyside Fire and Rescue – who dealt with the incident, and now our hospital staff across the city who are dealing with those who are injured, including tragically four children.
“I would also like to thank our supporters who witnessed this event and helped each other where they could. We continue to work with the emergency services and the local authorities to support their ongoing investigation and once again we would ask if anyone has any further information about the incident, please contact Merseyside Police.”
A police cordon remained in place at the scene, with a large police van parked in front of a blue tent on the road. Credit: PA
A police cordon remained in place at the scene on Tuesday morning, with a large police van parked in front of a blue tent on the road and officers stationed along the street.
The Strand has reopened to traffic as usual.