A 53-year-old man was detained Monday after a car collided with people at the Liverpool Football Club trophy parade in Liverpool, England, police and witnesses said.
Police were called to the scene in the city center, more than 200 miles northwest of London, at about 1 p.m. ET (6 p.m. local time).
There were reports of a car colliding with “a number of pedestrians,” the Merseyside Police said on social media. “The car stopped at the scene and a male detained.” Police later said a 53-year-old British man from the Liverpool area was arrested.
“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,” Liverpool FC said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this serious incident.”
Tens of thousands of fans had gathered for the parade Monday, lining the streets to watch Liverpool’s players display the Premier League trophy.
Harry Rashid, who was at the parade with his wife and two young daughters, told The Associated Press a car began ramming people about 10 feet away from him.
“It was extremely fast,” Rashid said. “Initially, we just heard the pop, pop, pop of people just being knocked off the bonnet of a car.”
Another witness, Luke Dutch, told CBS News the driving seemed “definitely intentional” and the “driver just shut the door and didn’t seem to care” before running over people.
Police did not immediately give information on casualties.
Photos from the scene showed multiple ambulances and first responders, and an ambulance service said it was responding to the incident.
North West Ambulance Service “is supporting an incident in Liverpool city centre, following reports of a road traffic collision,” the organization said in a statement. “We are currently assessing the situation and working with other members of the emergency services. Our priority is to ensure people receive the medical help they need as quickly as possible.”
Danny Lawson/PA Images via Getty Images 
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrote on social media that “the scenes in Liverpool are appalling.”
“My thoughts are with all those injured or affected,” he wrote. “I want to thank the police and emergency services for their swift and ongoing response to this shocking incident.”
The Merseyside Police said an investigation into the collision was underway.
“We would ask people not to speculate on the circumstances surrounding tonight’s incident on Water Street in Liverpool city centre,” the police wrote on social media. “Extensive enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Emmet Lyons and
contributed to this report.