2 children have died following knife attack in Southport

From the Lancashire Telegraph Tragically a second child has died.

Two children have died and six are in a critical condition following a “horror movie” knife attack close to a Taylor Swift-themed yoga class.

Merseyside Police said a 17-year-old boy, from the village of Banks, was arrested and is set to be questioned following the “major incident” at a property in Hart Street, Southport, north of Liverpool, at about 11.50am on Monday.

Merseyside Police have arrested a 17-year-old-boy, originally from Cardiff , on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The identities and ages of the victims have not been released.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said as well as the two children who died, nine children were injured in the “ferocious” attack and two adults are also in a critical condition. Ms Kennedy said the force believe the adults were injured while “bravely” trying to protect the children.

Ms Kennedy said the motivation for the attack is “unclear” but it is currently not being treated as terror-related.

There is a name being passed round on social media and repeated on a news outlet that I am not hitherto familiar with and thus know to be reliable. 

However, sources that I do know to be reliable say that they have been given two names and want to establish the correct one, also a nationality which is consistent among their local informants.  Eye witness accounts (one truncated by the BBC) are consistent that the assailant (who the police say is aged 17, and the are now calling him a “boy”, which means as a legal minor his name cannot be revealed until and unless ordered at the conclusion of a trial, which is very convenient) is of, lets call him, immigrant heritage appearance. In other words he isn’t originally from either Banks or Cardiff.  Arrival last year is the consensus. But I’m not going to repeat gossip either until I am comfortable with accuracy. I’m funny like that. 

I never know how they can dismiss terrorism so quickly. I know why they do but they can’t know until he has been questioned and his possessions checked. Just because some jihadists have ranted upfront doesn’t prevent others wanting to make the suthorities work to get the motive. 

The session was of a sort to appeal to small girls rather than boys, and was for the age group 7-11. Two families have lost a little daughter today and others will be praying for theirs.  The Manchester Arena bomber was motivated to kill young girls and women because they were dancing and having fun. I suspect the same here. 

The killer took a taxi to the Hart Space, presumably knowing what was on. He also ran in without paying the driver, but that’s the least of anybody’s worries. 

On Saturday Andrew Bridgen said the country is near the tipping point and I remarked to the man next to me that I have been expecting it snce July 2007.  I do believe that the authorities are scared; hence the attack on Tommy and the playing down of so many incidents this last month. 

More as and when I hear.