CNN
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Taylor Swift has said she is “completely in shock” after a stabbing attack at a dance class celebrating the US singer’s music in Southport, England left three children dead and others injured.
The singer wrote on Instagram that “the horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock.”
“The loss of life and innocence, and the horrendous trauma inflicted on everyone
who was there, the families, and first responders,” she added. “These were just little kids at a dance class.”
The rampage has stunned Britain and left police rapidly attempting to establish why such an unusually devastating incident took place in the nation, where gun ownership is heavily restricted but knife crime has been described as a “national crisis.”
A 17-year-old was arrested at the scene on “suspicion of murder and attempted murder.
“I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families,” Swift wrote in her Instagram post.
Two children died on Monday, and on the following day, Merseyside Police said a third child had died.
A police statement said: “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.
“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 police understand the attacker walked into the premises armed with a knife and started to attack the children.
“We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked,” she said at a news conference on Monday evening.
King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla also they were “profoundly shocked” by the incident on Monday.
“My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport,” King Charles said in a statement shared on the royal family official social media channels on Monday.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also responded to the events, saying in a clip shared with broadcasters that the “whole country” has been left “deeply shocked at what they’ve seen” in Southport.