Key Points
- Footage of police being seen to enter premises on Balmoral Road in Fairfield circulated on the Internet based on incorrect information that a man had been shot and killed.
- Reform UK West Derby shared the video on Facebook on Sunday, October 25, claiming that the premises were an “alleged HMO”.
- The video had garnered over 70,000 views and over 130 comments by Monday, October 26, according to the Liverpool Echo.
- The Liverpool Echo was able to ascertain that the case involved Balmoral Road in Fairfield rather than Windsor Road in Tuebrook as mentioned in the social media post.
- Merseyside Police have confirmed that they received a call out in the evening of Thursday, October 22, due to the safety concerns of a man.
- Police informed that the man was found at premises on Balmoral Road and moved to a place of safety.
- Three men were arrested during investigations. Adrian Mucha, 19, from no fixed abode, was charged with blackmail and remanded into custody.
- A 60-year-old man and a 36-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and bailed pending further investigations.
Liverpool Police (Liverpool standard) October 26, 2026 — Merseyside Police has confirmed that officers attended a property on Balmoral Road in Fairfield after receiving a concern-for-safety report, after a video of the incident was shared online with claims that a man had been shot.
As reported by the Liverpool Echo, the footage showed police approaching and entering a semi-detached property before several loud bangs could be heard from inside. The person filming could be heard claiming that a “bomb” had gone off and that a man had been killed.
The Liverpool Echo reported that these claims were incorrect. The force’s statement did not refer to a shooting, a death, or an explosion. Instead, it said officers had responded to concerns for the safety of a male and had taken him to a place of safety.
In a statement issued to the Liverpool Echo, a Merseyside Police spokesperson said: “We were contacted on the evening of Thursday, October 22, following concern for the safety of a male.
“Officers traced the male to a property on Balmoral Road in Fairfield and he was taken to a place of safety.
“Following enquiries we arrested three men.”
The police statement added: “Adrian Mucha, 19, of no fixed abode, has been charged with blackmail. He was remanded into custody to appear in court on Saturday October 24.
“A 60-year-old man and a 36-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and have both been bailed pending further enquiries.”
Why was the video shared online?
The video was shared by the Reform UK West Derby branch on Facebook on Sunday, October 25. According to the Liverpool Echo, the post included several incorrect claims about the incident.
The branch claimed that the building was an “alleged HMO”, or house in multiple occupation. The post also incorrectly stated that the incident had happened on Windsor Road in Tuebrook.
The Liverpool Echo reported that it established the incident took place on Balmoral Road in Fairfield. Merseyside Police later confirmed that the property was on Balmoral Road.
The social media post attracted significant attention. The Liverpool Echo reported that, by Monday, October 26, it had been viewed more than 70,000 times and had received upwards of 130 comments.
The Echo said it had approached Reform UK West Derby for comment. No response was included in the published report at the time of publication.
What does the footage show?
The video shows officers approaching a semi-detached property before entering it. Loud bangs can then be heard coming from inside the building.
The Liverpool Echo confirmed that the footage was recorded on Thursday, October 22. The person recording the video claimed during the clip that a bomb had gone off and that a man had been killed.
Those claims were not supported by the information later issued by Merseyside Police. The force said the incident began with a concern for the safety of a man, and its statement described the man being traced and taken to a place of safety.
The police did not provide further details about the nature of the loud bangs, the condition of the man, or the circumstances leading to the arrests.
What action has police taken?
Merseyside Police said three men were arrested after enquiries following the incident.
Adrian Mucha, 19, of no fixed abode, has been charged with blackmail. He was remanded into custody and was due to appear in court on Saturday, October 24.
Two other men, aged 60 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment. Both have been bailed pending further enquiries.
The force has not named the two bailed men. Under UK reporting practice, people arrested but not charged are generally not named unless they have been charged or identified through official court proceedings.
Merseyside Police has not said whether further arrests are expected or whether the investigation remains ongoing.
What claims were incorrect?
The central claim circulated with the video was that a man had been shot. The Liverpool Echo described this as false.
The video also included a claim that a bomb had gone off. The Liverpool Echo reported that this was incorrect as well.
A further claim stated that a man had been killed. Merseyside Police did not confirm any death. Its statement instead said that a man had been traced to the property and taken to a place of safety.
The post also misidentified the location. It said the incident happened on Windsor Road in Tuebrook, but the Liverpool Echo established that it occurred on Balmoral Road in Fairfield.
The claim that the building was an “alleged HMO” was included in the Reform UK West Derby post. The Liverpool Echo did not confirm that description as fact, and the force statement did not address the property’s status.
How widely was the misleading post viewed?
The post had spread widely before the correct details were more widely understood.
According to the Liverpool Echo, by Monday morning, October 26, the Facebook post had attracted more than 70,000 views and upwards of 130 comments.
The Echo reported that the video was shared alongside “several incorrect claims”, leading Merseyside Police to comment on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The force’s response confirmed the date and location of the police attendance, as well as the arrests made afterwards. It did not confirm the allegations of a shooting, bombing, or death.
What has Reform UK West Derby said?
The Liverpool Echo reported that it approached Reform UK West Derby for comment after identifying the incorrect claims in its Facebook post.
The published report did not include a response from the branch. It therefore remains unclear whether the branch has removed the post, corrected it, or commented on the police statement.
The article identified the post as having been made by the Reform UK West Derby branch on Facebook. The claims were attributed to that local branch rather than to Reform UK nationally.
Background of the development
The incident began on the evening of Thursday, October 22, when Merseyside Police was contacted following concern for the safety of a man. Officers traced him to a property on Balmoral Road in Fairfield and took him to a place of safety.
Three men were later arrested. One, Adrian Mucha, 19, has been charged with blackmail and remanded into custody. Two other men, aged 60 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of false imprisonment and bailed while enquiries continue.
The video of the police attendance was later posted on Facebook by the Reform UK West Derby branch on Sunday, October 25. It included claims that a man had been shot and killed, that a bomb had gone off, and that the incident happened in Tuebrook rather than Fairfield.
The Liverpool Echo verified that the incident occurred on Balmoral Road in Fairfield and that the footage was recorded on October 22. Merseyside Police then issued a statement confirming the concern-for-safety call, the arrest of three men, and the charges and bail conditions arising from the investigation.
The case comes amid continued concern about misleading video clips being shared online with unverified captions. Merseyside Police has previously warned that the sharing of misinformation can increase fear in communities and risk affecting sensitive investigations.
Prediction: How this development can affect local residents
This development is likely to increase attention among Fairfield residents on how incident videos are shared and interpreted online. The police response makes clear that the reported concern was for a man’s safety, while the allegations of a shooting, death, and explosion were not confirmed by the force.
For people living near Balmoral Road, the case may prompt questions about the circumstances of the arrests and the status of the investigation. The bailing of two men means enquiries are likely to continue, and residents may expect further updates if charges are brought or the investigation concludes.
The case may also affect how local social media users respond to unverified footage. With the post receiving more than 70,000 views, the discrepancy between the online claims and the police account highlights the importance of waiting for confirmation from Merseyside Police or established local news outlets before sharing incident videos.
For community groups, landlords, and local representatives, the reference to an “alleged HMO” may lead to closer scrutiny of property-related claims in the area. However, no official confirmation has been provided about the property’s status, and any discussion should distinguish between verified police information and unverified social media claims.
