A man accused of driving into an enormous crowd of soccer fans in Liverpool, England, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while “unfit through drugs,” the police said on Tuesday.
More than 60 people were injured in the incident on Monday evening, which the British police are not treating as terrorism. Investigators moved quickly to announce that the driver of the car was a 53-year-old white man from Britain, in an effort to stop the spread of misinformation.
The collision ripped through what should have been a jubilant day for the city. Hundreds of thousands of people had gathered on Monday, a public holiday, to celebrate Liverpool F.C.’s title in the Premier League, which is the top tier of English soccer.
“Scenes of joy turned to utter horror and devastation,” Prime Minister Keir Starmer told broadcast journalists on Tuesday, adding, “The whole country stands with Liverpool.”
What happened?
The Merseyside Police said they were contacted at about 6 p.m. on Monday local time after reports that a car had hit crowds gathered for Liverpool F.C.’s victory parade.
