A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the car that he allegedly drove collided with pedestrians shortly after Liverpool's Premier League victory parade Sunday.
More than 50 people were injured when a car plowed into a crowd on Water Street in the city center just minutes after the conclusion of the parade.
Merseyside Police have confirmed a 53-year-old white British man from West Derby -- believed to have been the driver -- has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving offenses and driving while under the influence of drugs.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said that police 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, with the road block having been temporarily lifted so that the ambulance crew could attend to that individual.
Sims also confirmed 50 people were treated at hospitals across the region following the incident. She added that 11 people remain in hospitals but are all in a stable condition and appear to be recovering.
Police say there was no intelligence that an incident of this nature would take place, and it is not being treated as terrorism. Police are not looking for other suspects and have not identified the arrested driver. Suspects in Great Britain typically are not identified until they are formally charged but police quickly identified the suspect as a white local man to prevent misinformation from flooding social media, Liverpool City Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram said.
With most people off work for the Spring Bank Holiday, officials estimated that around 1 million people descended on the 10-mile (16 km) parade route to watch the Liverpool team travel through the city on an open-top bus with the Premier League trophy.
Liverpool last won the league in 2020, ending a 30-year-wait, but fans were unable to celebrate due to lockdowns during the pandemic.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot, withdrew from the League Managers Association awards, where he was due to receive two accolades on Tuesday, "out of solidarity with all affected."
"I would also like to pay tribute to the emergency services and other authorities in Liverpool who swung into action as soon as the incident happened," he said in a club statement.
"Along with the supporters and bystanders who helped one another in an hour of need, I think everyone involved in the aftermath deserves the gratitude of all of us."
Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, said in a statement on social media: "The scenes in Liverpool are appalling -- my thoughts are with all those injured or affected.
"I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident.
"I'm being kept updated on development and ask that we give the police the space they need to investigate."
King Charles, who is visiting Canada, said he was "deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the terrible events".
His sister, Princess Anne, met medics who had treated some of the injured at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
The Premier League said in a statement: "Everyone at the Premier League is shocked by the appalling events in Liverpool this evening, and our heartfelt thoughts go out to all those injured and affected.
"We have been in contact with Liverpool FC and have offered our full support following this serious incident."
Former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp said in a post on Instagram on Tuesday: "My family and I are shocked and devastated. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who are injured and affected. You'll never walk alone."
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.