A witness described the aftermath of the mass stabbing that occurred at a Taylor Swift-themed event in Southport, England, which claimed the lives of three children and left several others critically wounded.
Colin Parry, owner of an auto body shop near where the violence took place on Monday, July 29, told BBC News that an employee called him to say that they had gone to the building next door after hearing what sounded like harrowing screams from children. Parry said that’s when he ran outside and saw children bleeding.
“It was the worst thing I’ve seen ever in my life,” Parry told the outlet, further describing the scene as “mayhem” as children were led into a nearby home.
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Merseyside police announced on Monday that officers had responded to a location on Hart Street around 11:50 a.m. that morning after receiving reports of a stabbing and that they had “detained a male and seized a knife,” PEOPLE previously reported.
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said at a Monday press conference that two children had died and several others, including two adults, were hospitalized in critical condition. Police confirmed the death of a third child in a press release shared on Tuesday, July 30.
The fatal victims have been identified by police as Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9.
Courtesy of Merseyside Police
Kennedy said the children were attending a Taylor Swift-themed event at a dance school when a 17-year-old suspect, armed with a knife, walked into the property and attacked the group.
“We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked,” Kennedy said.
According to an online flyer, the event was a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance class at The Hart Space, which was scheduled to take place between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Monday. The Telegraph reported that the class was advertised for children between the ages 6 and 11.
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As of Tuesday, police said eight other children were injured and five are in critical condition. Two adults injured in the attack also remain in critical condition.
The suspect, who was originally from Cardiff, Wales, was arrested in connection with the stabbing. While it’s unclear if he has been formally charged, Kennedy said that he was taken into custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
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Following the attack, Taylor Swift spoke out on her Instagram Stories on Tuesday, writing that she was in a “complete loss” and “in shock” after learning of the violence.
“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,” the singer wrote.
“These were just little kids at a dance class,” she added. “I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
Authorities have said the motive remains unclear and the attack is not being treated as terror-related.
