Two children have been killed and nine others injured, including two adults, in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, northern England, on Monday.
The incident, described by one witness as a “horror movie,” led to the arrest of a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy reported that six of the injured children are in critical condition, along with the two adults.
“We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked,” Kennedy said during a press conference.
Emergency services were called to the scene around 11:50 a.m. local time (6:50 a.m. ET) after receiving reports of the stabbing.
The police indicated that the attacker entered the premises with a knife and began assaulting the children.
While the motivation for the attack remains unclear, Counterterrorism Police Northwest have offered support, although the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
Local business owner Colin Parry, who called the police, described the scene as resembling a “horror movie.”
Parry reported seeing mothers screaming and children being treated by paramedics. “It’s like something from America, not like sunny Southport,” he added.
A resident on Hart Street, near the scene, recounted a woman arriving in a car, screaming that her daughter had been stabbed.
He assisted the woman and described seeing children receiving medical attention as emergency services arrived.
The Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Trust in Liverpool, approximately 20 miles from Southport, declared a “major incident” due to the high volume of casualties.
The hospital has urged parents to bring their children to the Emergency Department only if it is urgent, given the current situation.
The attack took place during a Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance class for children ages six to 11, as listed on the class’s website.
Source-BBC
