UK police question car ramming suspect, seven still in hospital

UK police were given more time Wednesday to question a man suspected of driving while on drugs into crowds celebrating Liverpool's Premier League win, as seven people remained in hospital.

"We can confirm that seven people remain in hospital in a stable condition" two days after the incident, in which nearly 80 people were injured, police said in a statement.

Police arrested the suspect, identified as a 53-year-old white British man, on Monday on suspicion of attempted murder, driving under the influence of drugs, and dangerous driving.

"The investigation team have today been granted further time to continue questioning him in police custody," police said.

The man, from a suburb east of Liverpool, is set to remain in custody until Thursday.

The attacker, driving a Ford Galaxy, followed an ambulance through a lifted roadblock before swerving into the crowds, police said Tuesday.

Police quickly ruled out terrorism, as well as releasing the suspect's ethnicity details in a rare move to quell misinformation online.

Police updated the total number of injured to 79 on Wednesday. At least four children were among those injured. There were no fatalities.

"I'm pleased to say that the number of people in hospital is reducing as they continue to recover from the awful incident," said Detective Superintendent Rachel Wilson.

Police said they were carrying out "extensive" investigations using closed-circuit video footage to ascertain how events unfolded on Monday, when hundreds of thousands of Reds fans had gathered to mark Liverpool's record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.

Images on social media showed the car ploughing through a crowd, running over people and others bouncing off its bonnet.

Four people, including one child, were trapped under the vehicle, which had to be lifted to remove them, fire services said.

In other clips circulating online, the vehicle was seen being halted and swarmed by angry fans, who smashed the back windows as police sought to hold them back.

Water Street, where the car ramming took place, was re-opened to normal traffic on Wednesday after being closed since Monday's events.

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