A British teenager, Axel Rudakubana, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for a frenzied stabbing spree that killed three young girls and injured ten others during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England. The attack, described by the judge as an act of “extreme violence,” has left families and the nation reeling in shock and grief.
Judge Julian Goose sentenced Rudakubana, now 18, to 13 life terms for the murders of six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, as well as for 10 attempted murders. Rudakubana will serve a minimum of 52 years in prison, with the judge stating it is “highly likely that he will never be released.”
The court heard harrowing details of the attack, which took place last July at a dance studio where a group of children had gathered to make bracelets and listen to music. Armed with a kitchen knife, Rudakubana launched a 15-minute rampage, stabbing one child 122 times. Prosecutor Deanna Heer revealed that Rudakubana’s intention had been the “mass murder of innocent, happy young girls,” and if not stopped, he could have killed all 26 children present.
Sobs and gasps filled the courtroom as relatives listened to the gruesome account and viewed security footage of terrified children fleeing the scene. Families described their anguish in victim impact statements, with one mother calling Rudakubana “cruel and evil.”
The attack also left survivors and witnesses traumatized. Dance instructor Leanne Lucas, 36, who was injured in the attack, spoke of her ongoing struggles, saying, “He targeted us because we were women and girls, vulnerable and easy prey.” A 14-year-old survivor recalled the terror of the incident, describing Rudakubana as looking “possessed.”
Rudakubana, who pleaded guilty to the murders and related charges, including possessing a biological toxin and extremist material, was twice removed from court for shouting and refused to return for his sentencing.
The attack has sparked widespread outrage in the UK, with some calling for the sentence to be reviewed as too lenient. It also fueled a wave of anti-immigration riots after false claims circulated that Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker. Authorities later clarified he was a UK citizen, born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents, who are now reportedly in hiding.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the incident “one of the most harrowing moments in our country’s history” and expressed solidarity with the victims’ families. A public inquiry will investigate failures by police, courts, and welfare services to identify the threat Rudakubana posed.
The tragedy has left a lasting mark on the community, with calls for systemic change to prevent such atrocities in the future.
