T-Swift Event’s Stabbing Suspect Smiles at Reporters in First Court Appearance
The U.K. teen didn’t appear to show remorse in his initial court appearance, days after he allegedly killed three children.
Belinda Jiao/Reuters
The British teenager accused of fatally stabbing three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class this week reportedly smiled at journalists in court the same day authorities released his name.
TMZ reported that Axel Rudakubana, 17, “flashed a grin” toward reporters in court Thursday morning before he tried to hide his face.
Rudakubana has been charged with the murders of Bebe King, 6, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9. He also faces charges for allegedly injuring eight other children, a yoga teacher, and a businessman.
Rudakubana, who turns 18 next week, will be tried as an adult, said Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary.
More details about the mass stabbing, which took place Monday morning in the seaside U.K. town of Southport, emerged on Thursday.
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Authorities said Rudakubana is believed to have taken a taxi to the dance studio, where he allegedly used a curved kitchen knife to attack children and others at a Swift-themed dance and yoga workshop. A potential motive has not been released.
Two girls were killed at the scene, and a third was pronounced dead at a hospital on Tuesday, authorities said.
The injured adults were identified as Leanne Lucas, 35, the class instructor, and John Hayes, a man who worked next door but ran to help the children after hearing screams.
British news reports said Rudakubana is the son of Rwandan parents and was born in Cardiff, Wales.
Authorities said they don’t believe the attack was terror-related. Still, the triple slaying has led to riots in Southport, where people have burnt vehicles, thrown bricks at police, and pelted a mosque.
That violent scene left 39 police officers injured, the North West Ambulance Service confirmed in a statement on Facebook. Of those, 27 officers were hospitalized.
Swift, 34, addressed the attack on her Instagram story on Tuesday.
“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock,” she said. “These were just little kids at a dance class. I am at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to their families.”
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