Liverpool celebration parade crash kills 27 people injured

On the afternoon of May 26 local time, the celebratory waves of Water Street in Liverpool were torn apart by the harsh sound of brakes. Thousands of fans wearing red jerseys are immersed in the joy of Liverpool's Premier League championship, but they don't expect to see a gray sedan rush into the parade like an out of control. The sudden disaster injured 27 people and sent to the hospital, including one seriously injured child, and 20 others were treated for minor injuries at the scene.

According to witnesses, she was watching a live broadcast of the championship parade on the street at home at the time of the incident. At 6:05 pm, the sharp tire friction sound mixed with the crowd screaming through the glass window, "The sound was like metal tearing cloth, instantly tearing the festive atmosphere to pieces " When she rushed to the window, she was seeing the vehicle that caused the accident slide forward against the crowd. Several fans were caught in the bottom of the car, with flying cell phones, ball caps and broken celebration banners scattered along the way.

"At least seven or eight people were chasing the car, and they did not consider their own safety at all. " The live video showed that when the vehicle in the accident slowed down due to congestion, several fans flew to the hood and slammed the windshield with their fists. A fan wearing a No. 8 jersey tried to open the car door, and his back was frozen into silhouettes by the cell phone flash of the crowd behind. These spontaneously intercepted citizens eventually forced the vehicle to park 150 meters from the initial impact point, gaining critical time for the police. At the press conference that night, Merseyside Police Deputy Commissioner Jenny Sims confirmed that the 53-year-old male suspect was a local Liverpool resident and the vehicle involved in the accident was registered under his name. The police found no dangerous items in the car and initially ruled out the possibility of terrorist attacks. It is worth noting that Water Street, as an official designated parade route, should have implemented traffic control, and how the vehicle involved in the accident breaks through the lockdown is still under investigation. Photos at the scene showed that there was a pass issued by the club on the front windshield of the car involved, and the details have not been confirmed by the police.

The medical rescue system was quickly launched after the accident. Dave Kitchen, spokesman for the Northwest Regional Emergency Service Center, revealed that the first batch of ambulances arrived at the scene within 4 minutes, and 27 injured were diverted to four hospitals through the "graded transfer" mechanism. Royal Liverpool University Hospital opened a green channel, and 30 medical staff were temporarily forming a trauma team. As of the morning of the 27th, five injured people were still in the hospital for observation, and the seriously injured children were not out of danger.

This tragedy caused a strong shock to British society. Prime Minister Stamer posted three tweets on social media, emphasizing that "sports spirit should not be tainted by violence." The official account of Liverpool Football Club changed its avatar to black ribbon, and the original championship celebration banquet was announced to be cancelled. What is even more touching is that at 21 o'clock that night, hundreds of citizens gathered spontaneously in the streets of the incident. They formed the words "YNWA" (you never walk alone), and the hoarse team singing was mixed with depressing sobs.

As the 53-year-old suspect was prosecuted for causing serious injury to dangerous driving, more suspicions emerged. Neighbors revealed to the Guardian reporter that the freight driver who lives alone loves to collect team souvenirs, and photos of previous champions are posted on the bedroom wall. The report shows that the alcohol content in his body is zero, and the results of the drug test have not been announced yet. The police special investigation team has entered his residence, focusing on investigating mobile phone communication records and social media trajectories.

This bloody celebration sounded the alarm for security in large-scale events in the UK. Data from the Ministry of Home Affairs shows that traffic accidents have risen by 17% during major sports events in the UK in the past five years, with two-thirds of which involved unlicensed entry into controlled areas. When the cordon on Water Street was knocked away, it was exposed not only the out of control of an individual, but also the loopholes in the entire public safety system. As the Times commented: "We can equip the stadium with riot police, but cannot prevent a car that breaks through cheering, which is a black humor in itself. "

As of press time, under the shadowless light of the Liverpool Central Hospital, medical staff are still performing the third operation for seriously injured children. The Mersey River outside the window is still flowing quietly, reflecting the neon lights on both sides of the river - the colorful lights that were originally lit for the champion are now flashing like warning signals in the night.