Tributes flow for girls killed at Taylor Swift-themed dance class
The organiser of the UK’s Taylor Swift holiday club is awake after putting her body between a horrific stabbing frenzy and her young dance students.
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The hero teacher who used her body to protect her young dance students is awake after life-saving surgery, her family has revealed.
Leanne Lucas, 35, was stabbed in the back, arms and neck as she shielded young girls at the Taylor Swift holiday club from a knife-wielding attacker in the northwest England town of Southport.
Alice Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Stancombe, 7, were killed in the attack and at least two children are in a critical but stable condition.
The death toll could have been much higher had Ms Lucas not hidden two in a storage room and bent over another two children as she received the brunt of the attacker’s blows.
Cousin Chris Rimmer, 41, gave the harrowing account to The Times, saying that Ms Lucas sounded “broken” after waking up from surgery.
“She put her arms up, all her arms are cut,” Mr Rimmer said. “She’s tiny and she’s as thin as a rake.”
‘LITTLE ANGEL’: PARENTS PAY TRIBUTE
A family caught up in the deadly Southport attack that killed three children have revealed details about how suspect was apprehended by police, as they shared a heartfelt tribute.
A parent of one of the children who attended the Taylor Swift-themed dance class shared a message on social media, where they revealed their seven-year-old daughter lost her best friend in the attack.
“Teddy my 7 yr (sic) old daughter was at the horrific incident in Southport yesterday,” the unnamed parent said, reports UK’s the Mirror.
“She went in with her best friend, a friend she was so lucky to have; the smartest, prettiest little angel from the best family you could ever wish to know.
“It breaks my heart to say her little friend has been taken away from this cruel world. We just pray she is in peace and her family have the strength to get through this.”
She also thanked people for their “kindness and support”.
The parent said it was “everyday police officers” who detained a man at the scene.
“Her Mum (deceased child’s mum), My Dad and I were one of the first at the scene, when only 3 officers present so the media reports of it being armed officers who detained him is not true — it was local, everyday police officers,” the post said.
“They defied orders and risked their own lives to protect the lives of children from our community.
“The things witnessed will live in our memories forever. Those same police officers; who get paid less than a McDonald’s manager, got home, hugged their own kids and got back up this morning to do it all again, are now being attacked on the streets.”
The family condemned the riots that have since followed and called for the violence to stop.
‘IT’S NUMBNESS; IT’S HORRIBLE’: LOCALS REACT TO DEADLY STABBING
A mountain of toys and flowers and a wave of grief and fury has overtaken the UK town where three girls were stabbed to death.
Hundreds turned out for a vigil for the young victims on Tuesday evening local time, venting equal parts despair and anger.
“You just feel such a helplessness and a sadness,” said David Jenkins as he paid tribute to the child victims of a knife attack in northern England that has left the country in disbelief.
A stream of wellwishers left flowers, dolls, cards, balloons and stuffed toys at the growing shrine in Southport, close to the events space studio where Monday’s stabbing spree took place.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among a stream of people to pay tribute to the girls aged nine, six and seven who died and another five children and two adults who were left with critical injuries.
While the sun beat down on the leafy, residential street in the seaside town near Liverpool where the attack occurred, the mood of those gathered was one of darkness.
“Last night the streets were so quiet, you could taste the sadness and the misery of it all,” Jenkins, a 52-year-old writer, told AFP.
“Now it’s just the aftermath and the shock of the fact that we’re all having to come to terms with it.”
Hundreds of people held a minute’s silence for victims at a vigil in the town, in a show of support for all those affected by the tragedy.
The crowd, some carrying purple and pink balloons, stood in the early evening sunshine in front of the clock tower of the grand Atkinson arts centre next to the town hall.
Police have arrested a 17-year-old youth over the attack, which targeted a Taylor Swift-themed dance and yoga class for children on their summer holiday from school.
The force has said the attack was not terror related, but Jenkins argued that “we need to know who it was and the motivation … people want answers”.
One of the biggest questions was how it could happen in the sleepy town.
“It’s numbness really, it’s just, it can’t happen here. And it has,” said Sue Endacott, a 59-year-old holistic therapist who lives around the corner from the scene of the attack.
“A couple of years ago, my son was in Manchester, and witnessed the Manchester Arena bombing. And again, I said, ‘No, it can’t happen’. Innocent children … and it’s horrible.”
Southport stabbing UK: Teen charged over horror knife rampage, 100 people arrested over protest
‘KEEP SMILING AND DANCING’
Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, will “keep smiling and dancing” after they became the littlest victims of the UK’s horrific mass stabbing attack.
Families of the girls — and pop star Taylor Swift — led tributes as more children continued fighting for their lives and the community of Southport searched for answers.
“Keep smiling and dancing like you love to do our princess, like we said before to you, you’re always our princess and no one would change that,” said the parents of Alice.
“Love from Your Hero Daddy and Mummy.”
In a tribute shared by police, Bebe King’s family said: “No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as we try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.”
Merseyside Police added in a statement: “Their families, who are being supported by specialist officers, have issued photographs and have asked that their privacy is respected at this time.”
Bebe and Elsie, aged six and seven, were identified as the first victims, with Alice passing from her injuries a day later.
Southport’s Churchtown Primary School paid tribute to “true ray of sunshine” Alice and “joyful girl” Bebe.
“Alice was the happiest of souls,” the school said in a statement. “Alice’s radiant smile brightened our days, and she embraced every aspect of school life with enthusiasm and joy.
“Her kindness, playful nature, and zest for trying new things will forever be remembered. Alice, you will always hold a special place in our hearts at Churchtown.”
The school described Bebe’s “considerate nature” and a love of learning.
“Each day, she would come into school ready to grasp every opportunity available to her and fun and laughter were never far away whenever Bebe was involved,” the statement continued.
“Her considerate nature meant that she had many friends and she always ensured all children felt included, whether that was through play or working together in the classroom.”
Five children remained critical and three were recovering from non-threatening injuries.
Two adults, including teacher Leanne Lucas, remained critically injured after “bravely trying to protect” the kids at the Hart Space Studios, which was at capacity for a Taylor Swift dance workshop.
Ms Lucas, a yoga instructor who friends said had organised the summer dance club, was said to have led children to safety via a fire exit.
“She was really, really lovely,” a friend from her high school told The Sun.
“She was a primary school teacher, she wanted to help people. That’s why you get into it, to do everything you can and that’s what she’s done.”
Almost $A2million has been raised fans for the victims from a fundraising page set up by Taylor Swift fans.
Taylor Swift shared a heartfelt post on her Instagram after the stabbing that left two children dead and six youngsters critically injured.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock,” the singer 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 a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”
Originally published as Tributes flow for girls killed at Taylor Swift-themed dance class
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