Third Child Dies As Knife Attack Plunges UK Into Grief

A third child died Tuesday from a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event in northern England that Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “touches a nerve” with the whole country.

Starmer was among a stream of people to pay tribute at the site of Monday’s knife attack in Southport, near Liverpool, that left five children and two adults with critical wounds. Three other children were hurt.

Laying flowers with hundreds of other wreaths, Starmer thanked emergency workers who responded to the stabbing spree and said: “I came here to pay my respects to the victims and families who are going through raw pain and grief that most of us can’t imagine — I can’t imagine, as a dad myself.”

Nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar died in hospital early Tuesday, police said. Bebe King aged six and Elsie Dot Stancombe aged seven were the two who died Monday.

A vigil for the victims was to be held in the town on Tuesday.

Police said the two wounded adults had been trying to protect the children. Tributes have already been paid to the bravery of dance and yoga teacher Leanne Lucas, who was among the victims.

A 17-year-old youth from a nearby village arrested shortly after the killings remained in custody, police added, without giving details of his identity.

They have only said that the attack was not considered “terror-related” and that noone else was being sought. Interior minister Yvette Cooper said police were pursuing “every single avenue”.

US pop star Swift said she was “completely in shock” over “the loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone”.

“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 on Instagram.