PATwo children have been killed in a “vicious” knife attack in Southport at a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga event.
Nine other children were injured, six in critical condition, after that incident late Monday morning. Two adults also suffered critical injuries, Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said.
Armed officers detained the man and held him at knifepoint, police later said, and a 17-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The attack is not considered terror-related, police said.
In total, 11 patients had puncture wounds were treated by the ambulance service and some were taken to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, which heralds a great event.
Here’s what we know about the attack.
How to attack?
Police were called to reports of a stabbing at a property on Hart Street in Southport just before 11:50 BST on Monday.
Ms Kennedy said officers were “shocked” to find so many people, many of them children, had been subjected to “savage attacks” and had suffered serious injuries.
Police believe a group of children were attending an event at a dance school when a knife-wielding man entered the building and attacked those inside.
Two adults were critically injured “bravely” trying to protect the child from the attack, police believe.
As well as two children who died, nine children were injured in the attack, six of them are critical.
The North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said it had treated 11 victims with stab wounds.
The victim was taken to Aintree University Hospital, Southport and Formby Hospital, and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
He added that 13 ambulances, special resources from the Hazardous Area Response Team (Hart), air ambulance and doctors were dispatched.
Alder Hey declared a major incident, and told parents to take their child to the emergency department only if it was urgent.
An air ambulance doctor delivered “advanced emergency care” to one patient and accompanied him to hospital by road, the Great North Air Ambulance service.
Where are the attacks?
The incident happened at a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance event in the Merseyside town of Southport, about 10 miles north of Liverpool.
The event took place at the Hope of Hart Children’s club, near the vehicle repair garage, on Hart Street, about a mile east of the city centre.
The holiday club is advertised as including dance and yoga workshops as well as bracelet making, and is aimed at primary school children in Years 2-Year 6.
It is thought to be fully booked with 25 children taking part.
In the scene, flowers and teddies have been left by a police officer, with a message that says: “Fly high with little angels.”
Labor MP for Southport Patrick Hurley, who told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that the area had woken up to “shock and sadness”, said it would take action on Tuesday evening.
What do we know about the suspect?
PAMerseyside Police confirmed that the police were armed “restrained a male and grabbed a knife” after the incident, and said there was no further threat to the public.
The force later said a 17-year-old boy from Banks, a Lancashire village north of Southport, was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the stabbing. He was originally from Cardiff, he added.
He will be questioned about the incident, and police say they are working to determine a motive for the attack.
Police have confirmed that the incident is not currently being treated as a terror attack and that no one else is being sought.
One witness said a man believed to be the assailant came into the taxi wearing a face mask and refused to pay the fare.
What did the witness say?
Eyewitnesses have spoken of the horrific scenes following the Southport attack, with one describing it as “the worst thing I’ve ever seen in my life”.
Many people reported seeing some small children bleeding on the street after being stabbed.
Reporter Tim Johnson, of Eye on Southport, arrived at the scene about 20 minutes after police were called.
He saw one girl on a stretcher with serious injuries, and said “that’s horrible, I’ve never seen anything like that”.
Mr Johnson said paramedics were among the “people crying in the street”.
Some witnesses also said they heard a woman running down the street screaming “my son has been stabbed”.
Another witness said they took about 10 girls to a nearby house
A local nurse practitioner, who spoke to the mother of one of the victims, said her daughter heard “evil screams” during the attack.
How did the leaders react?
King Charles III said on Monday night that he and the Queen were “very surprised”.
In a statement posted on X, King said he sends his “deepest condolences, prayers and sympathies” to all those affected by the “horrific attack”.
The Prince and Princess of Wales also sent their “love, thoughts and prayers” to the victims of the “heinous” attack in Southport, saying: “As parents, we cannot imagine what the families, friends and loved ones who were killed and injured in Southport today are going through. will pass.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who visited Southport on Tuesday, said the news was “truly devastating”, while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the spate of stabbings “truly appalling”.
