LONDON: Three girls aged nine, seven and six have died after being stabbed in a “ferocious attack” by a man during a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class in Southport, Merseyside police said Tuesday.
Alice Aguiar, a Portuguese national (9) whose family is from Madeira, died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday. The two children who died on Monday were Bebe King (6) and Elise Dot Stancombe (7).
Alice’s aunt Carina, who lives in Madeira, wrote on Facebook: “You were just an innocent child… a happy girl… smiling… who had a happy life ahead of her…Which a despicable being took from you… without pity or mercy… without any reason.” Her parents said: “Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our princess.You’re always our princess.”
Bebe King’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.”
A further eight children were injured in the stabbing, five of whom are in critical condition. One of the girls who was stabbed helped shepherd some of the other girls to a neighbour’s place to hide despite her injuries whilst two adults, who tried to protect the children, are also in critical condition.
One of them is the dance and yoga teacher, Leanne Lucas (35). She suffered stab wounds to her back and shoulder and was to undergo surgery on Tuesday. Her aunt, Pauline Bennett, said: “She’s only tiny, she wouldn’t have stood a chance against a man with a knife, but she just wanted to protect those children.”
Law firm director Jonathan Hayes (63) ran into the dance studio and tried to disarm the knife-wielding suspect after hearing screams from his office but got stabbed in the leg and remains in hospital.
Pop star Taylor Swift posted on Instagram: “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock.”
The suspect arrived in a taxi in a hooded top wearing a face mask. He did not pay the taxi fare. The door to the class was open.
On Monday officers arrested a 17-year-old male from Banks on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and he remains in police custody being questioned by detectives.
The man was born in Cardiff and UK media said his parents are from Rwanda.
Alice Aguiar, a Portuguese national (9) whose family is from Madeira, died in hospital in the early hours of Tuesday. The two children who died on Monday were Bebe King (6) and Elise Dot Stancombe (7).
Alice’s aunt Carina, who lives in Madeira, wrote on Facebook: “You were just an innocent child… a happy girl… smiling… who had a happy life ahead of her…Which a despicable being took from you… without pity or mercy… without any reason.” Her parents said: “Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our princess.You’re always our princess.”
Bebe King’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.”
A further eight children were injured in the stabbing, five of whom are in critical condition. One of the girls who was stabbed helped shepherd some of the other girls to a neighbour’s place to hide despite her injuries whilst two adults, who tried to protect the children, are also in critical condition.
One of them is the dance and yoga teacher, Leanne Lucas (35). She suffered stab wounds to her back and shoulder and was to undergo surgery on Tuesday. Her aunt, Pauline Bennett, said: “She’s only tiny, she wouldn’t have stood a chance against a man with a knife, but she just wanted to protect those children.”
Law firm director Jonathan Hayes (63) ran into the dance studio and tried to disarm the knife-wielding suspect after hearing screams from his office but got stabbed in the leg and remains in hospital.
Pop star Taylor Swift posted on Instagram: “The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock.”
The suspect arrived in a taxi in a hooded top wearing a face mask. He did not pay the taxi fare. The door to the class was open.
On Monday officers arrested a 17-year-old male from Banks on suspicion of murder and attempted murder and he remains in police custody being questioned by detectives.
The man was born in Cardiff and UK media said his parents are from Rwanda.