Taylor Swift ‘Completely in Shock’ After Deadly Stabbing Attack at Dance Class Celebrating Her Music
Monday's incident in Southport, England, left three children dead and 10 others wounded.
Taylor Swift performs onstage during "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Veltins Arena on July 17, 2024 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany.
Trigger warning: The following story describes details of violence against children.
Taylor Swift is “completely in shock” after the horrific stabbing attack at a dance class celebrating her music in Southport, England that left three children dead and eight others wounded. The singer posted a handwritten note on her Instagram Story on Tuesday morning (July 30) reacting to the incident.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock…” Swift wrote. “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. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
According to the Associated Press, Merseyside police said a 17-year-old boy from Cardiff was arrested in the incident a the community center and a knife was seized following the attack in the seaside town in Northwest England near Liverpool. Police said that the suspect was in custody on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the attack “horrendous and deeply shocking.” At press time the suspect’s name had not been released and there was no information on a motive for the attack, though officials do not believe it was terror-related.
Witnesses described a scene in which bloodied children were seen running from the center where the Swift-themed dance and yoga event for children 6-11 was taking place with the promise of “a morning of Taylor Swift-themed yoga, dance and bracelet making.”
According to CNN, two children died on Monday and a third died of their injuries as of Tuesday. “The nine-year-old girl died in hospital in the early hours of this morning, Tuesday, 30 July. We can confirm that the children who died yesterday were girls aged six and seven years,” the police said in a statement. “Eight other children suffered stab wounds sustained during the attack, and five of them are in a critical condition. Two adults are also in a critical condition after being injured during the incident.”
Merseyside Police Chief constable Serena Kennedy said that officials believe the adults who were injured were “bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked.” King Charles and wife Queen Camilla released a statement saying they were, “profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport.”
Following a mass shooting at a primary school in Scotland in 1996 that killed 16 students and a teacher, Parliament banned private ownership of most handguns and semi-automatic weapons; since then there have been no school shootings in the U.K., though attacks with blades remain a serious issue.
At press time Swift fans had set up a Swifties for Southport fundraiser for the families of victims that had raised almost $93,000. Swift is on the final run of European shows on her Eras Tour, with the next gig scheduled for Thursday (August 1) in Warsaw at the PGE Narodowy, where, after three shows she will move to a three-night stand in Vienna before closing out with five nights at London’s Wembley Stadium from August 15-20.
