Community in mourning as three girls killed in Southport knife attack

The three girls who were killed in a “ferocious” knife attack at a children’s dance workshop have been named by police.

Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine, died after the attack at a Taylor Swift-themed event on Hart Street, Southport, on Monday.

Five children and two adults who were also injured remain in a critical condition.

Bebe’s family said “no words” could describe the “devastation that has hit our family”, while Alice’s parents said she would always be “our princess and no-one would change that”.

Merseyside Police said a 17-year-old boy, from Banks in Lancashire, who was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder remains in custody.

The force said the families of the girls, who were being supported by specialist officers, had asked for their privacy to be “respected at this time”.

In a tribute from her “Hero Daddy and Mummy”, Alice’s parents said: “Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do, our princess.

In a statement, Bebe’s family said “no words” could describe “the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl”.

Elsie was described by a teacher at her primary school as “loving and bright” and a “caring and charismatic young lady”.

Tributes have also been paid to yoga teacher, Leanne Lucas, thought to be 35, who the BBC understands was running the summer holiday dance and yoga class.

“Your bravery has touched the heart of the nation, we are all praying for you and the families affected,” one Instagram user said.

“Thoughts and prayers are with you Leanne, keep fighting,” another wrote.

Merseyside Police said it was not looking for anyone else in connection to the attack, which it added was not being “treated as terror-related”.

The BBC can report that the teenage suspect, whose parents are from Rwanda, was born in Cardiff and moved to the Southport area in 2013.

It is understood that detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing North West have been actively providing support to the investigation.

A police representative said a name shared online in connection with the suspect was “incorrect” and urged people “not to speculate on details of the incident while the investigation is ongoing”.

A personal trainer who intervened in the stabbing told Sky News about “locking eyes” with the attacker.

Joel Verite said he rushed to help after seeing a woman covered in blood and saw the attacker holding a knife at the top of the stairs.

“I open the door downstairs… there’s a guy at the bottom of the stairs with a full tracksuit, his hood up, with a knife,” he said.

“We’ve looked at each other and he’s scurried off to the side.”

He said what he saw would “probably stay with me for the rest of my life”.

Thousands of people joined a vigil outside the Atkinson building in Southport, which began at 18:00 BST.

Flowers were laid for those who affected by the attack, while those who had gathered applauded the efforts of the emergency services who responded to what happened.

A minute’s silence was also observed in honour of the girls who died and those who were injured.

Addressing the crowd, Sefton Mayor June Burns said she hoped the vigil would offer support to the families of those killed and injured, adding that it was “hard to find the words at such a horrendous time”.

Local residents have also left flowers, cards and teddies by the police cordon close to the scene.

Churches have opened to give people a place to gather and several shops and pubs have closed as a mark of respect.

Sefton Council said it had launched a dedicated webpage providing information about help and support and would do “whatever it takes” to support the community as it dealt with the impact of “one of the saddest days in the borough’s history”.

Council leader Marion Atkinson said there had been some “truly amazing acts of kindness” since what happened and while it would “take time for us to come to terms with this… we will stay strong together”.

She added that the “offers of support” that the council had received “from across the world [were] much appreciated”.

In total, 11 patients with stab injuries were treated by the ambulance service and some were taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, which declared a major incident.

Two adults were critically injured “bravely” trying to protect the children from the attack, police have said.

A spokeswoman for Alder Hey said two of the seven children who had been brought to the children’s hospital for treatment after the incident remained in “critical care, but currently in a stable condition”.

Two adults remain in a critical condition after the North West Ambulance Service confirmed on Monday that victims were taken to Alder Hey and Royal Manchester Children’s hospitals, Aintree University Hospital, Southport and Formby District General Hospital and Ormskirk District General Hospital.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who followed home secretary Yvette Cooper in visiting the scene of the attack, said he came to pay his “respects to the families and the victims who are going through raw pain and grief”.

“As a father myself, I can’t imaging what they’re going through,” he said.

He said he had also wanted to “personally thank those that responded emergency service yesterday” who were “all back on duty today”.

“I wanted to shake their hands and say on behalf of the entire country ‘thank you for what you did yesterday’, because that was no ordinary challenge that they ran towards.

“They have saved lives and sometimes it’s very important to come and personally say ‘thank you’.”

Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly called for people not to “get involved in the grief of others” by sharing misinformation relating to the attack on social media.

“Enough people are already distressed without their distress being amplified by speculation and gossip online,” he added.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said social media companies “need to take some responsibility” for some activity in the aftermath of Monday’s events.

“Above all, this is about young children. This is about children and their families who will be grieving, and the many other children who were involved yesterday who will be facing great trauma as well,” she added.

Singer Taylor Swift said she was “completely in shock” after the “horror” of the knife attack.

Her fans have raised more than £180,000 for the families of the victims.

Several other fundraisers have also been launched for those caught up in the attack.

King Charles previously paid tribute to “all those affected by this truly appalling attack”.