17-Year-Old Accused of Killing 3 Children at Taylor Swift-Themed Event
A 17-year-old teenage boy has been charged with the tragic murders of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed children’s dance class in England.
Axel Rudakubana, facing three counts of murder, along with 10 counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a bladed article in connection to the fatal stabbing of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, in Southport on July 29, appeared in court for the first time on August 1.
Authorities had originally withheld Rudakubana’s name due to his age, but following media inquiries, the judge decided not to impose reporting restrictions on his identity. According to a statement by Merseyside Police on August 1, the teenager hails from Banks, a village in Lancashire, England.
During his court appearance, Rudakubana covered his mouth and nose with a gray sweatshirt provided by the prison. Upon the judge’s entrance into the courtroom, he remained silent with his head bowed when asked to confirm his name, as reported by the Liverpool Echo.