Eyewitnesses have described the “frantic” moment a people carrier ploughed into crowds at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Thousands of fans were in the city centre when the incident unfolded – with 27 people needing hospital treatment and two in a serious condition.
Peter Jones told Sky News that Water Street was bustling at the time, with the car “flying past” him.
“People were chasing it and trying to stop him, windows smashed at the back,” he said.
The 44-year-old described police and paramedics running to the vehicle when it came to a stop, as the injured were treated on the side of the road.
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Moment car drives into crowds in Liverpool
‘They’ve been quiet ever since’
Many of those who had been enjoying the jubilant atmosphere – marking Liverpool’s Premier League title – were young football fans.
Four of those taken to hospitals were children, including a victim who was badly hurt.
Harry Rashid was attending the parade with his wife and two young daughters – telling Sky’s Gillian Joseph “there was a lot of confusion and a lot of screams”.
Footage shows car drive into crowd at speed
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Crowds swarm car in Liverpool
In the aftermath, some bystanders surged towards the car and were trying to smash the windows as many of the injured lay on the ground.
Mr Rashid added: “It was very distressing to see all that. My daughters were with me – they started crying and we just tried to get out of there as soon as possible.”
Unsure of what was happening, he wanted to get his family to a safe place because he feared there could be a second vehicle.
When asked how his daughters were faring, the father said: “They’ve been quiet since the incident occurred. We are heading back from Liverpool to the Midlands, and they haven’t really said a word.”
Liverpool parade collision: What we know so far
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‘We were like sardines’
‘We can’t stop shaking’
Chelsea Yuen said the people carrier drove straight towards her – along with her friend Francesca and her daughter.
“We were literally like sardines walking up the street, and then we heard beeping and screaming,” she told Sky News.
“Me and my friend Francesca jumped out of the way and pulled her little girl out the way.”
Yuen said she could see the windows of the car had been smashed in – and witnessed people begging with the police to intervene.
“I’m just in shock,” she added. “We can’t stop shaking.”
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‘We heard screams’
‘We could just hear screams and screams’
Many more fans watched the incident unfold from flats overlooking Water Street.
One of them was Natasha Rinaldi, who had been following the parade from her friend’s living room window.
She told Sky News that “people sounded desperate” as the car sped towards the crowds.
“Some of my friends were down there and the car was so near them,” she added. “It was a horrible scene.”
Trying to make sense of the incident, Ms Rinaldi added: “We still don’t understand what happened, how it happened, why it happened.”
