A TRAUMATISED dad told how his baby boy was dragged 15ft and his partner run over in the Liverpool car horror.
Daniel Eveson, from Telford, Shropshire, said the parade had started off “perfect” but soon became the “worst day of his life”.
A Ford Galaxy car collided with several pedestrians on Water Street in Liverpool city center, causing a chaotic scene described as a “sea of chaos.”
The disturbing events unfolded just after 6pm after a day of jubilation when The Reds lifted the Premier League trophy.
Four children were among 65 people injured and a 53-year-old white British man from west Derby was arrested at the scene.
Mr Eveson, who was there with his family, told the BBC: “It [the car] struck me in my chest, all the way down my left hand side.
“My partner went under the wheel and the car went over her leg and she got dragged down the road.
“Then my little boy got taken about maybe 15 feet down the road in his pram.
“I didn’t know where anyone was or what to do.
“I didn’t know where my boy was and then I saw his pram, I didn’t know whether or not he was alive. And then I saw he was alive.”
He moved his partner onto the kerb and rushed their son Teddy into a restaurant, where he assessed the tot was okay.
Mr Eveson then went back outside to tell his wife their son was alive and he was safe.
“I thought I’d lost everything I really did,” he added.
Mr Eveson’s partner is still waiting to hear when she will be discharged from hospital, while Teddy is recovering at home.
The family had been walking up the road with the pram when they saw a commotion ahead.
They noticed two people running in the opposite direction before spotting the car.
Mr Eveson recalled people “screaming” in “pure terror”.
“It will stay with me for the rest of my life,” he said.
“I don’t think I will ever be able to go to a parade or a celebration again.”
Reports indicate that the car followed an ambulance after a roadblock was briefly removed to allow paramedics to assist a man believed to have had a heart attack.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims added eleven people remain in hospital and appear to be recovering well in a stable condition.
The force said the man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving while unfit through drugs.
Cops also clarified the incident was not being treated as terrorism during a press conference.
What we know so far:
- A car collided with multiple pedestrians when it drove into a crowd on Water Street, Liverpool city centre
- The incident happened just after 6pm as Liverpool FC’s victory parade was coming to an end
- Police have arrested a 53-year-old white British man from Liverpool who they believe to be the driver
- The incident is not being treated as terror-related and police are not looking for anyone else
- Four children were among 27 people taken to hospital and 20 treated at the scene
- Manchester Arena attack survivor describes being knocked to the ground
- Follow our live blog for all the latest updates
The Home Secretary, accompanied by DCC Chris Green and Mayor Steve Rotheram, visited Liverpool and went to the cordoned-off area of the incident to meet the first responders who were instrumental in saving lives.
Meanwhile, speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Detective Chief Superintendent Karen Jaundrill, of Merseyside Police, said: “I want to reassure the people of Merseyside that detectives are making significant progress as we seek to establish the full circumstances that led to this awful incident and bring the person responsible to justice.”
King Charles has said he was “deeply shocked and saddened” by the crash during the title parade.
He added: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
Force makes “very rare
By Mike Sullivan
It would doubtless have come as a huge relief to the authorities that the Liverpool car atrocity suspect was a white, British male.
And this time round Merseyside Police couldn’t wait to get that information out into the public domain quick enough.
Under strict privacy protocols governing the release of information by police, it is very rare for them to provide the ethnic background of any suspect.
But Merseyside Police were rightly castigated for holding back details about the 17-year-old youth who murdered three girls under the age of 10 at a Taylor Swift-theme school holiday dance class in Southport.
It created a vacuum for false information to trend across the internet suggesting killer Axel Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker who had been in an MI6 watch list.
The fact that MI6 doesn’t even have a watch list of people coming into the country was neither hear nor there.
That false information spread like wildfire online sparking public fury and riots across the country.
“People got the sense that something was being withheld or fudged in some way, and that led the social media types who wanted to spread disinformation to spread disinformation,” the UK’s terrorism ombudsman Jonathan Hall KC said afterwards.
This time it was different.
There were no doubt some who would have been disappointed to learn the man arrested in Liverpool was a white, British middle-aged man.
For the hatemongers in our community, it would have been a lost opportunity to spark a race war.
Police in this country are still a million light years away from the openness and transparency of information made available in such countries as the USA.
But at least they are learning that in a fast-time digital age where images of atrocities like the Liverpool car horror can be viewed within minutes, they have got to move quickly to control the narrative.
The Prince and Princess of Wales also said they were “deeply saddened” by the scenes on Monday.
William, who is patron of the Football Association, and his wife Kate said in a personal message on social media: “What should have been a joyful celebration ended with tragedy.
“Our thoughts are with those who were injured and to the first responders and emergency services on the ground. W & C.”
And, soon after the horror, Sir Keir released a statement saying: “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 developments and ask that we give the police the space they need to investigate.”
Half an hour after that, Liverpool FC released a statement on X.
It read: “We are in direct contact with Merseyside Police regarding the incident on Water Street which happened towards the end of the trophy parade earlier this evening.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident.
“We will continue to offer our full support to the emergency services and local authorities who are dealing with this incident.”
‘THE NOISE WAS TERRIFYING’
Footage taken from a shop showed the car edging through the crowds of supporters just two minutes before it accelerated down the street.
It was filmed slowly driving down Dale Street through groups unaware fans – including children – before it turned onto Water Street.
It reversed suddenly, bumping into a few annoyed revellers, before speeding forwards.
One mobile phone clip shows it colliding with dozens of screaming supporters before making a sharp right turn and stopping.
Seconds later, it turns to the left, and appears to hit several more before coming to a standstill.
Harry Rashid, 48, who was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters, said: “It happened about ten feet from us.
“We had no control over where we would be because the street was very narrow.
“The vehicle came to our right. It emerged from just right next to a parked ambulance.
“It pulled up from the right and rammed into all the people at the side of us. It was fast. The noise was terrifying.”
Mr Rashid, of Solihull, West Mids, described how crowds began trying to smash the car windows.
He said: “The driver stalled for a few seconds, probably about ten.
“Then loads of people a bit further back started rushing at him trying to smash his windows.
“But then he just ploughed through the rest of them.
“It was horrible. So many innocent people, fans just wanting to enjoy the parade, were hurt.”
He added: “I just wanted my kids to get off the road regardless. You’re just exposed there on the pavement.
“It was all horrendous, so horrendous.”
Video shows brave fans throwing bags at the vehicle and kicking it in a desperate attempt to slow it down.
Several sprinted after it as the driver continued down the road.
Despite their best efforts to stop the car, numerous people were thrown to the sides and some fell beneath the vehicle.
After pushing through dozens of footie fans for around 20m, the car came to a stop.
Fire crews arrived to find four people trapped under the vehicle, including a child, and worked quickly to free them.
Ambulances, a hazardous area response team, MERIT doctors, North West Air Ambulance and senior clinicians were quickly on scene to offer aid and treatment.
Emergency ambulances took patients to the Royal Liverpool, Alder Hey, Arrowe Park and Aintree Hospitals.
