A man is still being questioned by police after car rammed into a group of people on a night out in Derby over the weekend.
Seven people were treated at the scene and later taken to hospital with a range of serious but not life-threatening injuries, after they were hit by a black Suzuki Swift in Friar Gate on Saturday at about 9.30pm.
A 36-year-old Derby man, who is originally from India but has lived in the UK for a number of years, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, causing serious injury through dangerous driving, inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, and dangerous driving, Derbyshire Police said.
Counter-terrorism police are assisting the investigation but police are keeping an open mind about potential motives they added. The incident is not currently being classed as terrorism.
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CCTV footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows the moment a Suzuki Swift is seen racing down the road just moments after the incident, which left several people lying on the ground.
A silver car can be seen making its way along the road at what appears to be a normal speed, before the black car shoots down the street a few moments later.
After the Suzuki Swift has passed, witnesses stand in the middle of the road to assess what has happened, before appearing to make their way down the street towards the scene of the attack.
Blake Pierce, 21, who lives in the local area, was enjoying a night out with friends along Friars Gate when they heard ‘screaming.’
He told Metro: ‘We decided to change pubs and as we walked towards the road we started hearing screaming.
‘There were people spread out across the road and the adjacent pathway that led down.
‘We weren’t sure what to think and just froze. I could count about 6 people sprawled out pretty widespread across the area. This was all before the police showed up.’
He said bystanders rushed to help the injured before the emergency services arrived, adding that the police response time was ‘good.’
‘I’ve always found Derby to be a good night out, nothing really happens here from what I’ve experienced. It was a real shock to see something so graphic right in-front of you,’ he added.
Eren Celebi, who works at FG Express on Friar Gate, described scenes of chaos after the incident.
‘I didn’t see it exactly happen. I was serving some customers and I just heard a lot of screaming and shouting outside.
‘There was just a lot of people running about,’ the 23-year-old added.
Celebi said when he left the shop people were lying on the pavement and the main road.
‘There was like blood leaking from their head and stuff,’ he said. ‘I was a bit shocked.’
He said that some people went to check on victims, adding: ‘Some people were running into shops. Some people were just standing outside running about.’
Another man, who did not want to be named, told reporters the scene was ‘quite distressing’ and that there were ‘a lot of bloodied people’.
The man estimated that between 80 to 130 people were on the road after the incident.
He said: ‘There was a lot of ambulances, police at the scene as well – paramedics trying to get them the best possible care and it was just utter chaos.’
Chief Superintendent Emma Aldred, who leads policing in Derby, told a media briefing on Sunday that the suspected driver was arrested on the other side of the city centre seven minutes after the incident.
She said: ‘He was safely stopped in Station Approach, where the bridge crosses over towards Pride Park.
‘This swift action would not have been possible without eyewitnesses who contacted us about the vehicle’s whereabouts as it was driven away from the scene and around the city centre.’
She added that the police believe it is an isolated incident, and there is no wider risk to the public.
The Home Secretary is being kept updated on the incident, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said.
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