A 17-year-old boy has been charged with murder and attempted murder after 13 people, including 11 children, were stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, police have said.
Merseyside Police said the suspect, from the village of Banks, Lancashire, has been charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of attempted murder and one count of possessing an offensive weapon. He is due to appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning.
Alice DaSilva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancomb, 7, were stabbed to death and five other children remain in critical condition after being attacked while attending a dance and yoga class on Monday morning.
Two adults who were injured while trying to protect the children are also in critical condition.
The suspect, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on Monday. Detectives were given more time to question the boy in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The only details released about the suspect are his age and that he is from the village of Banks, about five miles from the scene of the stabbing, but was born in Cardiff.
Merseyside Police Chief Superintendent Serena Kennedy said: “A 17-year-old boy from Banks has been charged with the murder of Bebe, Elsie Dot and Alice, 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article following the tragic incident in Southport on Monday, July 29. The 17-year-old boy cannot be named for legal reasons as he is under 18.”
“While these charges mark an important milestone in the investigation, the investigation is still ongoing and we will continue to work with our partners at Lancashire Police and the North West Counter Terrorism Police.”
“I would like to thank all the police forces who have offered and given their support to Merseyside Police over the last three days and I can confirm that we have been supported with investigative resources from across the North West.”
Chief prosecutor Sarah Hammond, from Mersey and Cheshire Police, said: “We would like to reiterate to all concerned that criminal proceedings are ongoing against the defendant and he has the right to a fair trial.”
“It is vital that there is absolutely no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online that prejudices this trial in any way. Our hearts go out to the families of all the victims of this tragic incident.”
The charges came hours after violent chaos erupted in central London on Wednesday as protesters marched on Downing Street. Protesters chanted “Rule Britannia,” “Save the children” and “Stop the boats” and threw flares and cans, while police were seen grabbing a man from the road and pushing him onto the pavement next to a war memorial. Other protesters tried to kick down a fence and were surrounded by riot police. More than 100 people were arrested, the Metropolitan police said.
Protests also took place in Hartlepool, County Durham, where police were hit with missiles, glass bottles and eggs, four arrests were made and a police vehicle was set on fire in the town centre later in the night.
Cleveland Police said several officers responding to the disturbance suffered minor injuries. The city’s Labour MP, Jonathan Brush, said he was “deeply concerned” by the situation and would be in talks with police about how to respond to the incident.
Mr Brush wrote to X: “These incidents do not reflect what kind of place Hartlepool is or the values our people hold. Violence is never the answer.”
More than 50 police officers were injured in far-right riots in Southport on Tuesday night. The violence came as the city was in turmoil following a knife attack that left three children dead. Police said five people had been arrested in connection with the unrest.
The mother of one of the murdered children, Elsie, stepped in to try and ease tensions. “This is all I’m writing but please stop the violence in Southport tonight,” Jenni Stancomb said.
“The police have been absolutely heroic over the last 24 hours. They and we don’t need this.”
Deputy Chief Superintendent Alex Goss, of Merseyside Police, said: “Our work continues to identify all those responsible for the despicable violence and attack seen on the streets of Southport on Tuesday.”
“We have been inundated with images and footage from members of the public outraged by the vandalism that took place. Those involved in this unrest showed zero consideration for the families and friends of those who tragically lost their lives and the grieving community.”
“It was heartwarming to see the response today as the whole community came together to clean up roads, rebuild walls and repane broken windows.”
