In a state of shock, the United Kingdom is searching for answers about the motives behind a knife attack that left three children dead and eight injured during a dance class in Southport, northwest England.
A 17-year-old man has been arrested after the massacre which took place in the middle of the school holidays during a dance lesson themed around American star Taylor Swift. The police have so far not provided any information to clarify the motives of the attacker and repeat that it is not a terrorist act.
In Southport, the small seaside town some twenty kilometers from Liverpool, residents are in a state of shock: passers-by stop to leave flowers, cards, stuffed animals on Hart Street. "I can't believe what happened here," says Lynn Hassan. Her daughter was at a neighboring daycare center at the time of the attack. "Kids should be safe in holiday clubs ... they should be able to enjoy their holidays without fear of being stabbed."
According to the police, the assailant entered the building and began to stab the children participating in the dance event with a knife. The event was billed by organizers on social media as a dance and yoga class themed around Taylor Swift, who performed a series of concerts in the UK in June and will close her European tour with a concert in London in August.
According to the latest police report, three children are dead, eight injured. Two adults who were injured trying to protect the children are in serious condition.
"Sadly, we can confirm that a third child has died as a result of injuries sustained in a knife attack in Southport yesterday morning," Merseyside Police said in a statement. "The nine-year-old girl died in hospital in the early hours of this morning, Tuesday 30 July. We can confirm that the children who died yesterday were girls aged six and seven. Eight other children suffered stab wounds during the attack and five of them are in a critical condition."
The wife of one of the injured, Jonathan Hayes, 63, told The Daily Telegraph he was stabbed in the leg when he tried to intervene. “Our office is in the same building as the dance studio. He heard screams and went out, saw the attacker, saw that he had injured a child and tried to take the knife from him."
The area remains blocked today.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of horror. Bloodied children came out into the street, distraught mothers were looking for their children. Some said they saw the attacker get out of a taxi and that he refused to pay the fare.
"I know the whole country is deeply shocked," Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, while King Charles offered his "sincere condolences, prayers and deepest sympathy".
Prince William and his wife Kate wrote to X: "As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends, loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport are going through."
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was at the scene in the morning to meet security forces.
