A nine-year-old girl has died after a knife attack in Southport, northwest England, bringing the total to three children killed in the incident.
Merseyside police confirmed the girl died in hospital on Tuesday following the attack at a yoga and dance class. The other two children who died were girls aged six and seven.
Eight more children were injured, with five in critical condition. Two adults are also critically injured.
The attack happened at a Taylor Swift-themed workshop. Police arrested a 17-year-old suspect and seized a knife. The motive is still unclear, and the incident is not being treated as terror-related.
Police said:
“A name has been shared on social media in connection with the suspect in the incident in Southport,”
Police said on Tuesday. “This name is incorrect and we would urge people not to speculate on details of the incident while the investigation is ongoing.”
Police urged people not to speculate about the incident on social media as the investigation continues.
Police message on X:
UPDATE | Sadly we can confirm that a third child has passed away as a result of injuries sustained in a knife attack in Southport yesterday morning, Monday 29 July.
The nine-year-old girl died in hospital in the early hours of this morning.
We can confirm that the children who… pic.twitter.com/ljbzyaVbp7
— Merseyside Police (@MerseyPolice) July 30, 2024