A 17-year-old has been charged with the murder of three young girls at a dance class in Southport, United Kingdom.
According BBC, the victims, Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7,band Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, died after a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed event in Merseyside on Monday.
The teenager, whose identity is protected due to his age, is set to appear at Liverpool City Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
He faces additional charges of 10 counts of attempted murder.
The incident also left eight other children and two adults injured, with some in critical condition.
The defendant is further charged with possessing a bladed article.
Merseyside Police revealed these charges during a press conference shortly after midnight.
Ursula Doyle, deputy chief crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Mersey-Cheshire, emphasized the importance of a fair trial, “We remind all concerned that criminal proceedings against the defendant are active and that he has the right to a fair trial. It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary, or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. Our thoughts remain with the families of all of those affected by these harrowing events.”
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy of Merseyside Police stated, “Whilst these charges are a significant milestone within this investigation, this remains very much a live investigation and we continue to work with our partners from Lancashire Police and counter-terrorism police in the North West.”
The Taylor Swift-themed dance class, held on Hart Street in Southport, was intended for children aged six to 10. Police were alerted to the stabbing just before 11:50 BST on Monday.
Upon arrival, officers found multiple victims, predominantly children, who had been subjected to a “ferocious attack,” Chief Constable Kennedy reported.
The attacker, armed with a knife, had entered the building and assaulted those present. Two adults were critically injured while attempting to protect the children.
Bebe’s family expressed their grief in a police-issued statement, “No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as we try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.”
Alice’s family also shared their sorrow, “Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our Princess, like we said before to you, you’re always our princess and no one would change that. Love from Your Hero Daddy and Mummy.”
In response to the tragedy, more than 100 individuals were arrested during a protest in central London on Wednesday night, the Metropolitan Police reported.
The arrests were for various offences, including violent disorder, assault on an emergency worker, and breach of protest conditions.
This followed separate unrest in Southport on Tuesday, which disrupted a peaceful vigil attended by thousands to honor the victims.
Protesters attacked a mosque, throwing bricks, bottles, fireworks, and rocks, while police officers used riot shields for protection. A police vehicle was also set ablaze.
Merseyside Police reported that over 50 officers were injured in what they described as a “sustained and vicious attack,” involving supporters of the English Defence League.
Elsie’s mother, Jenni Stancombe, condemned the violence in a social media message, “This is the only thing that I will write, but please stop the violence in Southport tonight. The police have been nothing but heroic these last 24 hours and we don’t need this.”
Separately, Cleveland Police reported injuries to several officers following violence in Hartlepool on Wednesday.
