What we learned from the Merseyside Police update
Merseyside Police have just ended their news conference after a car was driven into a crowd at the Liverpool FC parade in the city’s centre on Monday evening. Here’s a summary of what we heard:
- A 53-year-old male suspect has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offences, and driving while unfit through drugs, police say
- The suspected driver of the car is believed to have followed an ambulance onto Water Street, which had previously been blocked. Access had been temporarily lifted to the emergency vehicle so first responders could attend to a person suffering from a suspected heart attack
- Fifty people were hospitalised and 11 of these patients remain in hospital – all are in a stable condition and “appear to be recovering well”, authorities add
- Police say they will continue to support the victims of the attack, while an extensive CCTV search is ongoing to understand the driver of the car’s movements
- The police repeated that the incident is not being treated as terrorism, and urged the public not to share distressing content online or speculate about the motivations behind the incident
Neighbouring forces assisting Merseyside Police in investigation
Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill says police will continue to support those injured “in the days and weeks to come”.
She says Merseyside Police have received assistance from neighbouring forces, and detectives are speaking to witnesses and emergency responders to build a full picture of what happened.
She adds that “extensive” CCTV inquiries are being made to track the movements of the Ford Galaxy leading up to the incident.
Man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder – police
A 53-year-old man from West Derby has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous drivinG offences and driving while unfit through drugs, police say.
11 people in stable condition in hospital, police say
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims then confirms on behalf of the NHS that 50 people were treated at hospitals following the incident. Of these, 11 remain in hospital. All are in a stable condition and appear to be recovering well, she says.
Sims then pays tribute to members of the emergency services who immediately ran to a “dangerous situation” and were on the scene in seconds.
Car followed ambulance through blocked road, police say
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims of the Merseyside Police now says that they believe the driver of the car was able to access the road after following an ambulance that was attending to a member of the public who was having a suspected heart attack.
Access on Water Street, which was blocked she says, was temporarily lifted so that the ambulance crew could attend to that individual.
As with all large events we have armed policing presence throughout the day. There was no intelligence that an incident of this nature would take place – it is not being treated as terrorism.
Police again ask public not to speculate on motivation behind incident
Sims says there is an extensive investigation into the incident now under way in Liverpool.
She asks people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding the incident and again asks the public not to share distressing content online.
“I have no doubt regarding the impact that this appalling incident has had on those who were injured, their family and friends,” she says.
She adds that it’s heartening the “human impact” on emergency services has been recognised, and thanks the public.
SOURCE: BBC NEWS
