Police Charge 17-Year-Old Suspect With Murder of 3 Girls Following Stabbing at Taylor Swift-Themed Event
A 17-year-old boy faces three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder after a deadly attack at a Taylor Swift-themed class.
Charges have been filed in connection with a mass stabbing in the U.K. that left three young girls dead and several others in critical condition while attending a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
A 17-year-old boy, whose identity has not been made public due to his age, appeared in court on Thursday facing three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder, according to the Associated Press. Police said only that the male suspect was born in Britain. He has not been charged with terrorism offenses.
Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6, were tragically killed in the July 29 attack which took place in Southport, England. Eight other children and two adults were also injured.
The AP reports that chaos erupted among protesters as several violent demonstrations unfurled on the streets near Prime Minister Keir Starmer''s office following the incident.
Swift previously broke her silence on the devastating attack with a statement on social media.
"The horror of yesterday''s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I''m just completely in shock," she wrote on Tuesday. "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."
She continued, "I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families."
The royal family was also among the voices speaking out the in the wake of the incident, with King Charles III and Queen Camilla issuing a statement on social media.
"My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today," the king wrote. "We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives, and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack."
Prince William and Kate Middleton also offered a heartfelt response on x (formerly Twitter).
"As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through," the couple wrote. "We send our love, thoughts and prayers to all those involved in this horrid and heinous attack. Thank you also to the emergency responders who, despite being met with the most horrific scenes, demonstrated compassion and professionalism when your community needed you most."
Swift is scheduled to hit the stage as her Eras Tour continues on Aug. 1 in Warsaw, Poland.
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