A 9-year-old girl died, raising the death toll to three, after a stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class in Southport, England. A 17-year-old suspect has been arrested.
England, Bollywood Fever: A devastating stabbing attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class in Southport, northwestern England, has claimed the life of a 9-year-old girl, bringing the total number of fatalities to three. The Merseyside Police reported that the other victims were girls aged 6 and 7. A 17-year-old suspect was arrested shortly after the incident on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Eight children and two adults remain hospitalized following the attack, with both adults and five of the children in critical condition. The attack has shocked the local community and the nation.
Pop star Taylor Swift expressed her grief and shock on Instagram, stating, “These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
The tragedy occurred at the Hart Space community center, known for hosting various activities, including the ill-fated Taylor Swift-themed workshop for children aged 6 to 11. Witnesses described the scene as “from a horror movie,” with bloodied children running from the attack just before noon on Monday.
Locals have left flowers and stuffed animals at the police cordon on the street lined with brick houses in the seaside resort, which attracts vacationers from across northwest England. The suspect, born in Cardiff, Wales, had lived in a village about 3 miles from Southport for years. He has not yet been charged, and police are not treating the attack as terror-related.
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy commended the bravery of the injured adults, stating, “We believe the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked.”
The incident has reignited concerns about knife crime in the UK. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “horrendous and deeply shocking.” King Charles III sent his “condolences, prayers, and deepest sympathies” to those affected, while Prince William and his wife Catherine expressed their unimaginable sorrow for the families involved.
Witnesses reported the suspect arriving by taxi, with Colin Parry, a local business owner, confronting the suspect after he refused to pay for the ride. Parry described the suspect as aggressive and noted that most of the victims appeared to be young girls.
This attack is one of the most shocking incidents in recent UK history, recalling memories of Britain’s worst attack on children in 1996 in Dunblane, Scotland, which led to significant changes in gun laws.
While mass shootings are rare in Britain, knife crime remains a significant issue, with knives being used in about 40% of homicides in the year leading up to March 2023. The community and the nation mourn the loss of these young lives as they grapple with the aftermath of this tragic event.
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