11 children and two adults were stabbed at a mother and baby support centre dance party, three children fatally, the police now publishing their identities.
Merseyside Police say six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar are the girls who were killed by a knifeman who attacked a children’s summer holiday dance party event in Southport, Merseyside on Monday morning.
The force says the images provided were issued by their families who made a request for privacy.
Two of the girls’ families issued statements. Bebe King’s family said: “No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.”
Alice Dasilva Aguiar’s parents said: “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.”
Eight other children were injured and five of them had been in critical condition. Liverpool’s children’s’ hospital issued an update on Tuesday afternoon and said two remained in critical condition.
Two adults were also injured, police said their understanding was they had tried to prevent the attack and were stabbed themselves for trying to protect the children. One of them, a 35-year-old woman who was the dance teacher leading the event is also in critical condition.
Police are holding a 17-year-old male for questioning. The suspect has not been identified in line with British law as he is a minor, but it has been revealed he comes from a family of Rwandan origin who came to the United Kingdom as refugees from the Rwandan genocide. The suspect was born in the United Kingdom.
The Prime Minister and Home Secretary have both travelled to Southport and expressed sympathy for the victims. Sir Keir Starmer thanked the police officers and paramedics who rushed to the scene: “It’s not what any of them came to work for. But of course, they’re professionals, and they deal with it”.
Despite the British government’s normally very effective work to control the public’s emotions after mass casualty attacks, Sky News notes Sir Keir was nevertheless heckled by the public as he visited the scene today. It states “a number of people did decide to make their feelings known” and that shouts were heard being made at the Prime Minister, including one person who asked “how many more children?”.
The government has told the public to stop speculating about a motive, saying to do so is “unhelpful”.
One victim, Alice Dasilva Aguiar, was of Portugese heritage and that nation’s Prime Minister has issued a statement on the attack on Tuesday. Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said: “It was with deep sadness that I received the news on the attack that yesterday took place in Southport in the United Kingdom, and for which I have no words to describe. On my behalf and on that of the Portuguese Government and People I express heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the British Government and People.”
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