On the evening of May 26, a tragic incident unfolded near the Liverpool Football Club parade, as a car struck several pedestrians while thousands of fans celebrated the team's Premier League title victory. Eyewitnesses described a scene of chaos and confusion as emergency services rushed to respond to the situation.

A spokesperson for the police confirmed that they were dealing with reports of a road traffic collision in the city center of Liverpool. The incident was reported shortly after 6 PM, with the police receiving calls about a car colliding with multiple people on Water Street. The authorities acted swiftly, detaining a male suspect at the scene. A large presence of emergency services was subsequently noted, and officials promised to release more information as it became available.

According to eyewitness Natasha Rinaldi, who was watching the parade from a friend's living room, the atmosphere quickly changed from festive to frantic. Rinaldi described hearing desperate screams before she looked out to see the car had driven into a group of people. “It was so loud. People sounded desperate. And then we looked at the window and we saw the car had run over people,” she recounted to Sky News. Rinaldi also highlighted the immediate reaction of the crowd, as many attempted to pursue the driver and intervene, but the police quickly intervened to maintain control of the situation.

Another witness, Harry Rashid, who was attending the parade with his family, described a horrifying scene just feet away from where the car struck. He recalled, “This grey people carrier just pulled up from the right and just rammed into all the people at the side of us. It was travelling south, down Water Street, and it was extremely fast.” Rashid vividly remembered the sound of people being knocked onto the hood of the vehicle, and how the driver seemed to deliberately accelerate again after a brief pause.

“It was horrible. And you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people. Then my daughter started screaming and there were people on the ground. It looked clearly deliberate,” Rashid expressed, highlighting the distressing nature of the incident.

The North West Ambulance Service responded to the collision, stating in a press release that they were assessing the scene and collaborating with other emergency services. The agency emphasized that their priority was to ensure that anyone injured received prompt medical assistance.

As of the latest updates, there has been no confirmed information regarding the extent of injuries sustained by those present during the parade. The situation remains fluid as authorities continue their investigation.

In response to the incident, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer shared his sentiments, calling the scenes in Liverpool “appalling.” He expressed his thoughts for those injured and affected by the chaos and thanked the police and emergency personnel for their swift response. Starmer indicated that he was receiving ongoing updates from officials and urged that the police be given the necessary space to conduct their investigation effectively.

Local MP Kim Johnson, representing Liverpool Riverside, also expressed concern for the victims, stating, “I sincerely hope all those involved are safe and get home to their loved ones soon.”

The parade was initially filled with excitement, as fans lined the streets enveloped in plumes of red smoke, celebrating the players and their championship win. This tragic turn of events has cast a shadow over what should have been a joyous occasion.

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