Closing summary
Two children have died following a “frenzied” knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in Southport today, police confirmed. Speaking at a press conference, chief constable Serena Kennedy said two children were killed in a “ferocious attack”. She added that nine others were injured, including six left in a critical condition.
The motivation behind the knife attack in Southport “remains unclear”, according to police. Merseyside police chief constable Serena Kennedy told a press conference: “The investigation is at its early stages and the motivation for the incident remains unclear. However, Counter-Terrorism Police North-West have offered their support to Merseyside police as the full circumstances of what has happened are being established.
Kennedy said a 17-year-old boy from Banks, Lancashire, had been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder over the “ferocious attack”. She added that he was originally from Cardiff, south Wales.
Merseyside police said the attacker “walked into the premises and started to attack” the children at the dance class event. Kennedy told a press conference this evening that the two adults in critical condition were understood to have sustained injuries while trying to protect the children.
North-West ambulance service Cheshire and Merseyside head of service Dave Kitchin told a press conference the knife attack will leave a “lasting impact on the whole community”. Kitchin also confirmed 11 casualties were treated at what he described as a “devastating scene”.
Police have cordoned off a street with officers stationed outside a house in the village of Banks, about three miles from the stabbing incident. It is not yet clear if the two incidents are linked, PA Media reported. Two police cars are stationed on Old School Close, with more police vehicles and officers behind the cordon.
Colin Parry, the owner of Masters car repair shop, said he had a brief exchange with the man believed to be the attacker minutes before the attack unfolded. He told the Guardian: “He came down our driveway in a taxi and didn’t pay for the taxi, so I confronted him at that point. He was quite aggressive, he said: ‘What are you gonna do about it?’ The customer I was dealing with at the time confronted him as well, and he [the attacker] said the same to him. Then he turned around and walked out of the drive.”
Residents had begun leaving floral tributes at the scene by Monday evening, passing them to police officers who laid them behind the cordon. “I live in Southport,” said Rebecca Armstrong, 50, who said she “felt like I had to” come down to pay her respects. “I just wanted to show that we care about the children, the families … our thoughts are with them.”
Neighbours said they were first alerted to the incident at about 12 noon when they heard a woman in the street, shouting for help. A 10-year-old girl was bleeding, and saying she was struggling to breathe, they said. One neighbour said she was “barely conscious.” “She’s [the daughter] come out saying ‘mum I’ve been stabbed, I’ve been stabbed’,” Debrah Parker, 57, said. “She [the mother] bundled her in the car as fast as she could, she was screaming, ‘help me, help me’, she was covered in blood.”
Alaina Riley, 18, said her aunt saw parents running out of the dance class carrying children covered in blood and attempting to resuscitate them. “She said she watched parents resuscitating them out on the front, the parents had grabbed hold of them. I think it was pick-up time.”
The prime minister has offered his condolences to the victims of the attack and their families and friends, saying “the whole country is deeply shocked”. He said in a statement: “The events today are just truly awful and I know the whole country is deeply shocked at what they have seen and what they have heard. I know I speak for everybody in the whole country in saying our thoughts and condolences are with the victims, their families, their friends and with the wider community. It is impossible to imagine what they are going through right now.”
Merseyside’s police and crime commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “I am utterly shocked and devastated to hear about the truly appalling incident this morning in Southport.” She added: “First and foremost, my heart goes out to the young victims, their families and all who knew and loved them. I cannot even imagine the untold pain and heartache they are facing. My thoughts are also with all those who suffered injuries and who have been affected by this harrowing incident.”
The king has sent his “most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies” to the families and loved ones of the victims of the “utterly horrific” Southport stabbings. In a statement, he said: “My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today. We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.”
The king has sent his “most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies” to the families and loved ones of the victims of the “utterly horrific” Southport stabbings.
In a statement, King Charles said:
My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today.
We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.
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