Driver arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after horror crash near Liver Building
A PEMBROKESHIRE man who narrowly avoided being mown down during Sunday’s Liverpool FC victory parade has become a key eyewitness in national coverage of the shocking incident — as police confirm the driver has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Gavin Young, from near Crundale, Haverfordwest, appeared on BBC News, Sky News, and other national outlets on and Tuesday (May 27), sharing his dramatic account of how he and his partner, Hannah Davies, were just “ten seconds away” from being hit.
The couple, along with friends Jo and Martin — also from Haverfordwest — were staying at the Mercure Liverpool Atlantic Tower Hotel, directly overlooking the scene on Water Street where a grey people carrier mounted the pavement and struck multiple pedestrians.
In a widely aired BBC News interview, Gavin said: “We were stood here just having fun and the next minute everyone is losing their minds — like, just running all directions. Screaming. I didn’t know what was going on.
I had people I hadn’t spoken to in ages — my phone was going ding ding ding ding — everyone knew I was in Liverpool. They were like, ‘Are you alright? Are you okay? What’s going on?’
I think we were the last ones to know, actually.”
Speaking earlier to The Herald, Gavin added: “It’s meant to be a day of celebration. Instead, it was chaos — helicopters, armed police, hotel staff telling us to stay inside. We’re lucky to be alive.”
His account has become one of the most widely shared testimonies from the scene — reflecting both the scale of panic and the personal fear many experienced as the car drove through the crowd.
In a major update on Tuesday (May 28), BBC News confirmed that the 53-year-old man arrested at the scene is now being held on suspicion of attempted murder. The incident is not being treated as terrorism-related, but police say four people remain seriously injured, and investigations continue.
The crash occurred at around 6:00pm on Sunday, just as Liverpool’s trophy parade was winding down. Tens of thousands were lining the streets, including dozens from Pembrokeshire, many of whom had travelled to the city for the celebration.
Gavin said he’s been overwhelmed by the response from home: “The phone hasn’t stopped. People have been amazing. But honestly, this could have been so much worse.”
Liverpool FC, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, and emergency services have all issued statements condemning the incident and offering support to those injured.
Photo caption:
At the centre of it all: Gavin Young’s eyewitness interview on BBC News captured the chaos that unfolded during Liverpool’s parade (Pic: BBC NEWS)