Liverpool parade incident reconstructed: This is what happened – and when
A car that began slowly nosing its way around pedestrians ended up ploughing into them – and a parade turned into panic.
This was a terrifying and chaotic incident. Here’s what Sky’s Data and Forensics team has been able to reconstruct: exactly what happened, and when.
This is what everyone was filling the streets to see – the Liverpool team bus on its victory parade.
Pic: Reuters
It began at 2.30pm on Bank Holiday Monday – here is the route the procession took.
And that meant closures. Here are all of the roads that were shut to traffic, or should have been.
Ahead of the parade, Liverpool City Council had strongly advised people not to drive – particularly in the city centre – and asked fans to walk instead.
This is the first time we see the car involved. It’s slowly moving west along Dale Street.
The timestamp on this footage appears not to have been corrected – reading 4.58pm – likely showing it was filmed at 5.58pm, adjusting for summertime hours.
We can see the car here again on that same street, before the worst happens.
Footage shows somebody closing a door on the right-hand side, but it is unclear if he was a passenger.
The driver reverses, hitting a nearby fan. The crowd reacts angrily – kicking and punching the vehicle.
Blocked to the front by a stopped car, the people carrier then reverses at speed towards a man attacking the back window.
The crowd then throws objects at the car as it speeds west along Dale Street.
Meanwhile, the man reversed into earlier chases the car – smashing the back window with a folding chair.
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Dale Street turns into Water Street – and less than 100 yards later, on the junction with Rumford Street, police say a road block was in place.
But this was lifted for an ambulance, and the car was able to follow in behind – despite its already erratic driving and multiple altercations with the surrounding crowd.
After this is when the most damage was done.
This video shows the car at a stop on Water Street, with an ambulance close behind. The crowd attacks the car while nearby police attempt to intervene.
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CCTV shows moment before Liverpool collision
It accelerates, hitting pedestrians.
The car then swerves right into a crowd of people, before swerving left again and coming to a stop.
If we cross reference the various videos to maps of the street, we can see the car covers 40m (131ft) in nine seconds – that means an average speed of 10mph – fast enough to inflict critical injuries.
It finished here – with people seen trapped under the wheels.
Officers quickly surrounded the car as witnesses attempted to stop the driver, who was eventually detained by police.
Afterwards, bystanders were seen walking down the road in shock.
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Moment car drives into crowds in Liverpool
It’s only a short stretch of road. But this was a bank holiday, and a big occasion. About one million people came to watch the parade – there were dense crowds everywhere.
Police said emergency services responded within “a matter of seconds”.
Pic: PA
But questions will now focus on how the suspect was able to drive along at least two streets crowded with people – coming into contact with them and causing casualties – without being stopped.
A 53-year-old man has been charged after a car was driven into a crowd at Liverpool FC’s trophy parade.
Paul Doyle, from the West Derby area of Liverpool, has been charged with seven offences, Merseyside Police said.
The businessman, who is a father-of-three, is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Paul Doyle
Doyle is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, and one count of dangerous driving.
He is due to appear before Liverpool Magistrates Court on Friday.
The charges relate to six people, including two children. A wounding charge and an attempted grievous bodily harm charge relate to a child.
A police car was outside Doyle’s four-bedroom detached family home in the West Derby area on Thursday morning.
According to his social media, he has travelled extensively including Japan, Fiji, India and Australia. Doyle has posted pictures of himself competing in triathlons, and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
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New Liverpool incident footage
Thousands of fans were gathered in Liverpool city centre on Monday to celebrate the Premier League champions’ title win when a car struck a crowd on Water Street.
Police said a total of 79 people were injured in the incident, with the youngest aged nine, and the oldest being a 78-year-old.
Seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Forensic officers at the scene in Water Street. Pic: PA
‘Huge volume of evidence’
Chief crown prosecutor for the CPS Mersey-Cheshire, Sarah Hammond, told a news conference on Thursday that the investigation was at an early stage and a “huge volume of evidence” was being reviewed.
“This includes multiple pieces of video footage and numerous witness statements. It is important to ensure that every victim gets the justice they deserve.
“The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses.”
Police ‘working tirelessly’
Also at the briefing where the charges were announced was Assistant Chief Constable of Merseyside Police, Jenny Sims, who said: “I fully understand how this incident has left us all shocked and saddened, and I know many will continue to have concerns and questions.
“Our detectives are working tirelessly, with diligence and professionalism, to seek the answer to all of those questions. When we are able to, we will provide further information.”
The youngest victim injured in the Liverpool parade crash on Monday is nine years old, police have said.
They added that the oldest is 78, with all 79 people injured understood to be British. Seven remain in hospital in a stable condition.
Merseyside Police declined to say what drug the 53-year-old man arrested over the incident is alleged to have taken.
“We wouldn’t go into this detail at this stage of the investigation,” the force said.
Police at the scene in Liverpool. Pic: AP
Forensic officers in Water Street. Pic: PA
Police are still questioning the driver and were granted further time to do so on Wednesday.
Officers have until Thursday evening to question the man from West Derby.
He is in custody on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and drug driving.
Police believe the car which struck pedestrians was able to follow an ambulance crew attending to someone suffering a heart attack after a road block was temporarily lifted.
Hundreds of thousands of Liverpool fans had turned out to celebrate their team’s Premier League title when the incident unfolded on Water Street just after 6pm on Monday.
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‘My boy in his pram, got bounced’
‘The best day of my life turned into worst’
Sky News interviewed a lifelong Liverpool fan who said his five-month-old son was “bounced” 15ft (4.6m) in his pram after they were hit by the vehicle.
The child was not counted in the police’s injury tally.
Daniel Eveson, 36, also said his partner had been driven over.
“The best day of my life turned into [the] worst,” Mr Eveson said.
He added: “Me and my partner were flat on the roof, on the bonnet… we were just both trying to hold on for dear life with Ted next to us.
“And my partner went under the wheels of the car, of the front of the car, and it rolled over her leg, and I just bounced off to the side, but my boy and his pram got bounced totally in the opposite direction – about 15ft down the road.”
Read more:
How the parade crash unfolded
Police given more time to question Liverpool suspect
Why police released ‘unprecedented’ details
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Liverpool to meet with police chiefs and the local metro mayor.
He said he was being kept informed of developments, adding: “The scenes on Monday were just awful, to see how incredible joy at an amazing achievement turned to horror in a moment.”
Messages of support have been sent to the people of Liverpool, including from the King who said: “I know that the strength of community spirit for which your city is renowned will be a comfort and support to those in need.”
The Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “deeply saddened” by the incident.
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