NBA superstar and Liverpool Football Club minority owner LeBron James took to social media to commiserate with fans of the British soccer club after a minivan plowed into a crowd that had gathered in the city to celebrate with the team during a victory parade.
Liverpool Football Club were crowned winners of the 2024-2025 English Premier League on Sunday, and the team toured the city in an open-top bus on Monday as thousands of fans gathered to join in the celebrations.
But around 6 p.m. in the city center, the event was marred when the minivan plowed through the jubilant crowd, injuring nearly 50 people including children, Newsweek reported. James reacted to the incident in a post on X.
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Liverpool F.C. is owned by Fenway Sports Group, and James, 40, is a minor partner of the American multinational sports holding company.
“OMG!!!! [Oh my God.] WTH. [What the heck/Hell],” the Los Angeles Lakers star and four-time NBA champion wrote. “My deepest thoughts and prayers goes out to everyone affected that attended @LFC Premiere League trophy parade today! Such a senseless act!”
The suspected driver of the minivan was described as a 53-year-old White man who was arrested at the scene. Police, however, said they’re not investigating the incident as a terror-related attack.
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Harry Rashid, who witnessed the incident, told the Associated Press that the crash “was extremely fast.” “Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car,” he added.
Rashid also said the crowd approached the vehicle when it halted, adding that they tried to extract the driver by breaking the windows. “But then he put his foot down again and just plowed through the rest of them, he just kept going. It was horrible,” he recalled.
“And you could hear the bumps as he was going over the people. My daughter started screaming, and there were people on the ground. They were just innocent people, just fans going to enjoy the parade.”
Besides James, Liverpool F.C. also commiserated with their fans. “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 soccer club said.
“Everyone, especially children, should be able to celebrate their heroes without this horror. The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times. Liverpool stands together and the whole country stands with Liverpool,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
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