Merseyside Police have confirmed that a teenager has been arrested following a stabbing incident in Southport.
Officers were called to a property on Hart Street around 11:50 AM on Monday to reports of multiple people being attacked, including children and adults. At least one fatality has been reported.
At least one child has died and over ten people, including both adults and children, have been hospitalized with serious injuries following a stabbing incident in Southport.
The attack initially occurred at a property on Hart Street but subsequently spread to the surrounding area.
Alder Hey Children’s Hospital declared a major incident to manage the influx of patients.
A 17-year-old Ali Al-Shakati from Banks has been arrested in connection with the Southport stabbings and is currently in police custody.
The suspect in the Southport stabbings, Ali-Al-Shakati, was on the MI6 watch list and known to Liverpool mental health services. He was an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK by boat last year.
Merseyside Police confirmed the incident is not terror-related and they are not seeking additional suspects.
Investigations are ongoing to determine the motive for the attack, which occurred during a children’s dance summer camp held at The Hart Space, a pregnancy care center on Hart Street. Police are urging the public to avoid speculation as the investigation continues.
A sold-out Taylor Swift-themed yoga and dance workshop for children aged 3 to 12 was taking place at The Hart Space when the incident occurred. The event was scheduled from 10 AM to 12 PM.
North West Ambulance Service responded to a mass stabbing incident at the location around 11:48 AM. They dispatched significant resources, including 13 ambulances, a Hazardous Area Response Team, an air ambulance, and medical doctors. Eight patients with stab wounds were transported to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, Aintree University Hospital, and Southport and Formby Hospital.
