What we know about Southport mass stabbing at children’s Taylor Swift workshop

Three children have died and several other people remain in hospital after a mass stabbing in Southport on Monday.

The whole country is “deeply shocked” by the attack, the prime minister said in a statement.

Emergency services and a nearby hospital declared a “major incident” after reports of the stabbing and a “number of reported casualties”.

Here’s what we know:

What happened?

Merseyside Police were called to reports of a stabbing at a property on Hart Street, Southport, north of Liverpool, at about 11.50am on Monday.

In a news conference, Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said “the offender, armed with a knife, walked into the premises, and started to attack… the children”.

She added that officers were “shocked” when they arrived at the scene, finding several children had been subjected to a “ferocious attack”.

The attack took place at a community centre called The Hart Space, often used for mother and baby classes, in the Merseyside town, Sky News understands.

A “Taylor Swift Yoga and Dance Workshop” aimed at children aged between primary school years two and six (7-11 years old) was taking place at the time.

“As a mum and a nana, I can’t begin to imagine the pain and suffering that the families of the victims are going through,” Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said.

What we know about the victims

Three children were killed as a result of the attack – all of them girls.

They are six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar.

Bebe and Elsie died on Monday, and Alice died in the early hours of Tuesday.

Alice would have turned 10 in October.

Her family said: “Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our princess, like we said before to you, you’re always our princess and no one would change that.

“Love from Your Hero Daddy and Mummy.”

In a tribute shared by police, Bebe’s family said: “No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as we try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.”

Police said eight other children suffered stab wounds during the attack, and five of them are in a critical condition.

“Two adults are also in a critical condition after being injured during the incident,” they added.

Chief Constable Kennedy said: “We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked,” she says.

One of the adults in hospital is a children’s yoga teacher, Leanne Lucas.

She was one of the organisers of the Taylor Swift dance event.

A post on a local yoga page on Facebook, with an accompanying picture of Ms Lucas, read: “I’m absolutely devastated.

“Please please pray for Leanne. Leanne came on my training course in December. A beautiful young creative girl who was so passionate about helping children.”

After Monday’s attack, some victims were also taken to Aintree University Hospital and Southport & Formby Hospital.

The ambulance service dispatched 13 ambulances along with specialised resources.

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital said in a statement shortly after the incident: “The trust is working with other emergency services to respond to this incident and our emergency department is currently extremely busy.

“We ask parents to only bring their children to the emergency department if it is urgent.”

Arrest and weapon seized

A 17-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.

Police say he is from the nearby village of Banks in Lancashire, but was born in Cardiff, Wales.

A knife was seized, and the suspect was taken to a police station.

Police urged people to avoid the area while they dealt with the aftermath but insisted there was “no wider threat to the public”.

Taylor Swift sends message

Taylor Swift posted a message to her Instagram story on Tuesday.

“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock…

“The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders.

“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.”

Eyewitnesses at the scene describe ‘horror movie’

Colin Parry, a local business owner who said he was one of the people who called the police, described the aftermath of the attack as “like a scene from a horror movie”.

He said: “The mothers are coming here now and screaming. Police have got him. It’s like something from America, not like sunny Southport.”

Mr Parry also told Sky News how his colleague had carried a young girl who was covered in blood and was trying to keep her alive.

He added other neighbours were helping to bring children out, one of whom had been targeted repeatedly.

“She was really critical. One of the other neighbours was looking after her on the floor,” Mr Parry said.

Another resident, Ryan Carney, told Sky News his mum was nearby and saw bodies “covered in blood”.

“She [could] hear screaming and crying,” Mr Carney said. “She goes out, and she goes round to see what happened, and all she said was she saw the members of police or ambulance carrying out a few bodies of girls.

“They were in white, but they were covered in red. Covered in blood. She said she could see the stab wounds.”

Mr Carney said his mum then saw “a woman who was screaming who said that her child was lost, that she couldn’t find her child”.

“They let her into the cordon, and she ran down, and all you could hear is her screaming and crying, saying ‘That’s my child, that’s my child’ in the bodies.”

A local parent, who did not wish to be named, said his daughter was “traumatised” by the attack, adding she “ran away and she’s safe”.

King and Queen send ‘deepest sympathies’

The King and Queen are among those who have sent their “deepest sympathies” to the families of those affected.

In a statement released on X, the monarch 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 to those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales released a separate statement, in which they said: “As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through.”

They described the stabbings as a “horrid and heinous attack”.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer told reporters the whole country is “deeply shocked” by the attack.

He thanked police and the emergency services, adding: “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 the wider community.”

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper commented on what she called the “extremely serious” incident in the House of Commons this afternoon.

She said: “All of our thoughts will be with the family and loved ones of those who are affected.

“I have been in contact with the Merseyside Police and crime commissioner and the Merseyside mayor to convey my support to the police and our thanks to the police and emergency services for their swift and courageous response.

“The response to this awful incident is currently unfolding, and the House and the public will be updated in due course.”