Chilling new CCTV footage has provided fresh insight into the moments leading up to the horrific incident in Liverpool during the Premier League title parade.
The video, captured by a mobile phone shop, shows a Ford people carrier attempting to navigate through throngs of football fans just moments before it sped down Water Street, striking numerous individuals and injuring nearly 50. The first emergency calls were made a mere two minutes later, with first responders providing immediate treatment at the scene.
This shocking event has sent shockwaves throughout the UK and beyond, sparking questions about how the vehicle was able to access the street in the first place.
The newly released CCTV footage, obtained by The Mirror, depicts the car slowly making its way down the street amidst hundreds of pedestrians, slightly ahead of several other vehicles moving more quickly towards the city centre.
People seemed relaxed around the cars as they inched their way through the centre, their attention fixed on the ongoing celebrations until the car - mere minutes later - ploughed into dozens of bystanders.
Speculation is rife that the car may have been trying to follow an ambulance when it turned onto Water Street, with multiple sources suggesting that the theory of the driver tailgating an ambulance is currently under consideration.
The tranquillity of a Solihull family's day out was shattered when they witnessed a car careening into pedestrians just 10 feet away.
CCTV captures car driving down Dale Street, Liverpool moments before incident
CCTV shows the car squeezing through crowds (Image: Daily Mirror)
Harry Rashid, 48, recounted the harrowing moment alongside his wife and two children as a grey people carrier suddenly appeared from beside a parked ambulance and ploughed into bystanders.
Mr Rashid described the chilling scene: "It emerged from just right next to an ambulance, which was parked up. This grey people carrier just pulled up from the right and just rammed into all the people at the side of us."
He recalled the vehicle accelerating "extremely fast" towards Liverpool city centre. Mr Rashid continued: "It was travelling south, down Water Street, straight towards the Strand, which is where the docks are. It was extremely fast. Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car."
CCTV captures car driving down Dale Street, Liverpool moments before incident
The car would soon turn down Water Street in Liverpool (Image: Daily Mirror)
Merseyside Police Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims provided details on the suspect during a press briefing on Monday evening: "The car stopped at the scene and a 53-year-old white British man from the Liverpool area was arrested.
"We believe him to be the driver of the vehicle. What I can tell you is that we believe this to be an isolated incident and we are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to it. The incident is not currently being treated as terrorism."
Steve Rotheram, Liverpool City Region mayor, has urged the public to avoid conjecture concerning the recent incident. He pointed out: "There's a lot of speculation and that's part of the problem.
"All those things caused real consternation, but the police acted very, very quickly to put paid to some of that speculation. I don't think it's worth us speculating on what might have happened to the driver."