LeBron James sent his “thoughts and prayers” to Liverpool fans after a 53-year-old man drove his vehicle into a crowd of supporters toward the end of the soccer team’s championship parade Monday.
Around 30 people were treated by emergency personnel after the man, who has not been identified, drove a minivan into fans, The Guardian reported.
James, a minority owner of the Premier League soccer club, expressed shock over the tragic incident that unfolded on what had been a day of celebration after Liverpool captured the season title over the weekend.
“OMG!!!! WTH. My deepest thoughts and prayers goes out to everyone affected that attended @LFC Premiere League trophy parade today! Such a senseless act!” James posted on social media.
James’ official connection to the English club began in 2011 when he invested in a 2 percent stake of Liverpool before converting it into a one percent stake in the broader Fenway Sports Group portfolio, which owns the team along with other sports and media assets.
Liverpool lifted the Premier League Trophy on Sunday after a 1-1 final with Crystal Palace and Monday was the bus parade for the club.
The incident occurred following the parade on Water Street, located in the heart of Liverpool.
Video taken by witnesses showed the chaotic scene that unfolded as the minivan struck one fan before careening into a larger crowd of supporters, sending bodies flying as the vehicle continued forward before eventually coming to a halt.
“People started banging on the [car] windows,” Les Winsper, 55, told The Guardian. “Then they smashed the windows and he’s panicked and put his foot down. He then hit someone and that person has gone in the air and he’s ploughed through the rest of them. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Police said on Monday that the incident was not being treated as an act of terrorism and they have only identified the man they arrested, and believed to be the driver, as a 53-year-old white British man.
Police are still investigating the incident, but it would mark the second time in as many weeks that a European soccer event was rocked by a vehicular tragedy.
Earlier this month, a car had barreled into a crowd outside Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium ahead of a match between Barcelona and Espanyol.
That incident was also ruled not to be related to terrorism.