Police confirm a third child has died following Southport attack
Police in the UK have confirmed that a third child has died as a result of yesterday’s attack in Southport.
In a statement released to the public, police confirmed that a nine-year-old girl, who was stabbed in the incident, died in hospital in the early hours of this morning.
The little girl was fatally attacked yesterday (July 29) in the seaside town, as she was attending a Taylor Swift themed dance class, aimed at children aged between 7 and 11.
At 11:47am yesterday morning, emergency services were called to the scene on Hart Road in Southport. An attacker had entered the dance class with a knife and began stabbing those in attendance, which has since been described by police as a “ferocious attack”.
The nine-year-old girl is the third child to have lost their life in the horrific incident, following the confirmed deaths of two other girls – aged 6 and 7 – yesterday.
Eight other children were stabbed in the attack. Five of those children, as well as two other adults, remain in critical condition in hospital.
Following the attack, a 17-year-old boy was arrested by police in Southport on suspicion of murder. He is still in police custody.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has since described the incident as “horrendous”, and there has been an outpouring of grief in the Southport community and beyond.
In response to the tragedy, singer Taylor Swift has released a statement to express her shock and solidarity with the families affected.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I’m just completely in shock,” Swift penned on her Instagram account.
“The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and first responders. These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families,” she added.
Fans of Taylor Swift are continuing to rally together to raise funds and donations for those affected. A JustGiving page, which was set up by a Swiftie after reports of the attack initially broke, has now raised over £64,000.
