Man wrongly identified as Liverpool parade driver speaks out 8 hours ago Vinnie O’Dowd & Adam Hale BBC News Marianna Spring BBC Disinformation reporter A man wrongly identified on social media as being the driver of a car which ploughed into crowds of people in Liverpool says he has moved his children out of their home because he fears for their safety.
Peter Cunningham, 54, had his picture circulated online after the incident on Monday, when 79 people were injured while celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League victory.
Police have been granted more time to question the suspected driver of the Ford Galaxy that hit pedestrians at the parade – a 53-year-old man from West Derby in Liverpool who has not been named.
“I wouldn’t go into town because I knew it was too chocka to go up there with the girls.”
The BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent Marianna Spring said false accusations about the identities of suspects can flood social media following high-profile attacks or incidents.
A man who was mistakenly identified as a parade driver for Liverpool speaks out.
Eight hours ago.
Michael Hale and Vinnie O’Dowd.
the BBC News.
Marianna Spring.
Disinformation reporter for the BBC.
A man who was falsely identified on social media as the driver of a car that crashed into Liverpool crowds claims he has moved his kids out of their house out of concern for their safety.
Following Monday’s incident in which 79 people were hurt while celebrating Liverpool’s Premier League victory, a picture of 54-year-old Peter Cunningham went viral online.
The 53-year-old man from Liverpool’s West Derby who is suspected of driving the Ford Galaxy that struck pedestrians during the parade has been given more time to be questioned by police.
The incident occurred on Water Street, which reopened Wednesday morning. At the hospital, seven patients are still in stable condition.
Peter Cunningham of Huyton, Liverpool, told the BBC on Wednesday that he was with his kids along the parade route approximately four miles (6.04 km) from Water Street when the incident occurred, and he didn’t learn about it until he got home.
Regarding the unfounded allegations, he stated: “It’s not me. I work, and since I’m being accused, the police must reveal the [suspect’s] identity.
“Friends and family are calling and asking me, but things could get much worse. The authorities must take action.
“My kids and I were on Queens Drive. I have a Hyundai, which is a totally different vehicle.
“I knew it was too crowded to go up there with the girls, so I refused to go into town. “,”.
When questioned about whether he was afraid of being attacked because of the widely shared post about him, Mr. Cunningham responded, “It can still put me at great harm, I’ve had to move my children to a different house today because we’re that nervous.”. “,”.
A user on X mentioned the name Peter Cunningham on Monday night in response to a post asking who the suspect was, according to research by BBC Verify.
An Instagram user claiming to be from Liverpool shared a picture of Mr. Cunningham on Tuesday night, presenting it as the suspect’s initial photo.
On his personal Facebook profile, Mr. Cunningham has the same picture. The Instagram post that included a picture of Mr. Cunningham and was shared on Facebook has since been removed.
Marianna Spring, the BBC’s disinformation and social media correspondent, stated that after high-profile attacks or incidents, social media can be inundated with false accusations regarding the identities of suspects.
“The restrictions police forces have when it comes to disclosing additional information about a suspect who hasn’t been charged exacerbate the issue,” she stated.
“In the end, people who spread these disparaging posts online face few consequences. With concerned friends and family looking on, the person whose reputation is being dragged through the virtual mud is the one who is most affected.
It’s also another instance of how some social media companies don’t do much about what is posted on their platforms, primarily because they don’t know the facts themselves, but also because they have loosened their rules to handle abuse and misinformation. “..”.
Following a prior extension, Merseyside Police said in an update on Wednesday that it had been given additional time to question the suspect. This extension will last until Thursday.
Merseyside Police have asked the public not to make assumptions about the identity of the man in custody, as they typically do not name a suspect before charging them.
Police typically have 24 hours to question a suspect in custody before they must charge them or release them, and the arrest was made on Monday just after 18:00 BST.
In this instance, police have ruled out terrorism, but suspects of terrorism offenses may be detained for up to two weeks without being charged.
The force was making “significant progress” to determine the “full circumstances that led to what happened,” according to Det Supt Rachel Wilson, who said that CCTV was being used to track the car’s movements prior to it colliding with the audience.
She said, “I’m happy to report that as they continue to recover from the terrible incident, the number of people in the hospital is decreasing.”.
“We’re still helping those who are undergoing treatment, and we’re finding more injured people as part of our ongoing investigations. “.”.
