A third child died on Tuesday and five others remained critically injured after a knife attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in a quiet seaside community in northern England, police said.
The 9-year-old girl died in hospital on Tuesday, Merseyside Police said, as the force confirmed that two victims who died in the “ferocious” stabbing spree on Monday were also girls, aged 6 and 7.
Eight other children suffered stab wounds during the attack in Southport, near Liverpool, which has shocked the UK and beyond. Two wounded adults were also in a critical condition.
A 17-year-old male suspect from a nearby village arrested after the incident remained in custody, police said, warning against speculating about his identity or details of the probe.
“This incident is not currently being treated as terror-related and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with it,” Merseyside Police said in its latest update.
Hours earlier, US pop star Swift took to social media to say she was “completely in shock” over “the loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone”.
“These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss how to ever convey my sympathies to these families,” she said on Instagram.
Visiting the scene of the attack to lay flowers and meet local officials, interior minister Yvette Cooper said police were pursuing “every single avenue” as part of “a serious criminal investigation. This was a horrific attack”, she said. Residents of Southport, a small seaside town popular with summer visitors, were still coming to terms with the attack.
“The town is in shock and in mourning”, local MP Patrick Hurley said, calling it the “most horrific atrocity in Southport in living memory”.
It is a “very small town, a close-knit community and everybody will be intimately affected by this”, he added.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called the events “just truly awful” and said “the whole country is deeply shocked”. He was planning to visit the community. An evening vigil would also be held.
“I just cannot believe that it happened so close to home,” Leanne Hassan said on Tuesday. Hassan had rushed to collect her daughter from a nearby nursery which was locked down after the attack. Her daughter was safe, “but unfortunately that’s not the reality for a lot of parents today”.
Police have revealed that the children at the event were aged between 6 and 11, and the two adults injured were trying to protect them.
Tributes have been paid on social media to the bravery of dance and yoga teacher Leanne Lucas, who was among the victims.
Local business owner Colin Parry, one of those to call police, said his staff saw “about 10 kids go running past, all bleeding”.
“One of them collapsed on the floor outside the neighbour next door,” he said.
Bare Varathan, who owns a local shop, said he saw “seven to 10 kids” who were “injured, bleeding”.
The teen male arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder is from neighbouring village Banks but was born in the Welsh capital Cardiff, police said. His identity and a possible motive for the attack have not been revealed.
“A name has been shared on social media,” police said on Tuesday. “This name is incorrect and we would urge people not to speculate on details of the incident.”
Witnesses said the attacker arrived at the scene in a taxi late on Monday morning, and that he entered the venue wearing a mask. Police detained the suspect and seized a knife.
Cape Times