A third child has died from injuries sustained after a 'savage' knife attack on a Taylor Swift Police have confirmed that there is a themed dance class in Southport.
Detectives announced Tuesday that a nine-year-old girl died in the hospital in the early hours of the morning. The two other fatalities were girls aged six and seven, officers said.
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The tragic news comes as police continue to question a 17-year-old boy arrested in connection with Monday's attack, which was described by witnesses as “like a horror movie”.
Eight other children suffered stab wounds in the attack and five of them remain in critical condition.
Two heroic class teachers are also fighting for their lives in hospital after bravely trying to defend the children from the attack shortly before noon on Monday.
A Merseyside Police spokesman said: “Sadly we can confirm that a third child has died as a result of injuries sustained in a knife attack in Southport yesterday morning, Monday 29 July.
“The nine-year-old girl died in the early hours of Tuesday, July 30, in hospital. We can confirm that the children who died yesterday were girls aged six and seven.
“Eight other children sustained stab wounds during the attack, and five of them are in critical condition. Two adults are also in critical condition after being injured during the incident.”
One of the organisers fighting for her life was named locally as Leanne Lucas, 35, reportedly a former schoolteacher. Well-wishers said they were praying for the “beautiful” and “creative” Ms Lucas, who was “passionate about helping children”.
Meanwhile, American singer Taylor Swift said she is in “complete shock” after the “horror” of the knife attack.
Swift said in a statement on social media on Tuesday: “The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport continues to wash over me and I am just in complete shock.
“The loss of lives and innocence, and the terrible trauma inflicted on everyone who was there, the families and the emergency workers.
“These were just little kids at a dance class. I really don't know how I can ever express my condolences to these families.”
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper laid flowers at the police cordon on Tuesday, along with local MP Patrick Hurley and other officials.
The tragedy occurred during a fully booked dance workshop on Hart Street, where young people aged six to 11 were taking part in summer holiday activities.
Shocked bystanders described hearing children and parents screaming before 13 ambulances and dozens of police officers arrived at the scene.
Emergency services described the situation as “horrible” and “chaotic” when they arrived at the children's club.
A local resident said that a parent of one of the injured children stopped in front of his house with his child and shouted, “Help, my child has been stabbed, my child has been stabbed.”
Sarah, 45, said The independent: “A parent with an injured child in the car stopped in front of our house. She got a call from a doctor. She was in distress. My husband helped her back to the scene of the accident. We hope the child is OK.”
She added: “She stopped and just said, 'Help, my child has been stabbed, my child has been stabbed.'
According to reports, survivor Jonathan Hayes was stabbed in the leg as he tried to disarm the attacker.
The businessman's wife, Helen, said The Telegraph: “Our office is in the same building as the dance studio. He heard screaming and went outside, saw the attacker, saw that he had injured a child and tried to grab the knife from him and was stabbed in the leg.”
She said she had been with her husband in hospital on Monday afternoon, adding: “He is very upset that he could not be more helpful. Physically he will be fine, mentally I don't know.”
Meanwhile, police urged the public not to speculate about the incident after a name was wrongly circulated on social media.
“This name is incorrect and we urge people not to speculate on details of the incident while the investigation continues,” a police spokesperson said.
“This incident is not being treated as terrorism related at this time and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this.”
All victims are being treated in hospitals, including children's hospitals in Liverpool and Manchester.
More to come on this latest news….
