Taylor Swift Releases Statement on Fatal Southport Stabbing: “I’m Just Completely in Shock”

The stabbing, which took place on July 29, killed three children and left eight others injured.

THOMAS NIEDERMUELLER/TAS24/GETTY IMAGES

Taylor Swift has broken her silence on the mass stabbing that occurred in Southport, England, on July 29, 2024, during a Swift-themed dance and yoga workshop for children, which killed three kids and left eight more injured, as reported by the BBC. Per The Guardian, five of the children, along with two adults, were in critical condition after the attack, bringing the total number of victims to 13.

On July 30, Taylor Swift, who’s currently on the European leg of her Eras tour, posted a statement on her Instagram stories about the fatal incident.

“The horror of yesterday’s attack in Southport is washing over me continuously, and I’m just completely in shock,” the singer wrote in white letters against a dark background. “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 at a complete loss for how to ever convey my sympathies to these families.”

COURTESY OF TAYLOR SWIFT/INSTAGRAM @TAYLORSWIFT
According to information from the Merseyside Police reported by the BBC, the mass stabbing took place in Hart Street in the seaside town of Southport, around 20 miles north of Liverpool. The only suspect is a 17-year-old male born in Cardiff but raised in the Lancashire village of Banks who had moved to the Southport area in 2013, BBC notes. The suspect was arrested and is being questioned by Merseyside Police, who said the “motivation for the incident remains unclear.”

Tributes to the victims left by well-wishers on July 30, 2024, in Southport, England.

derstood that the children were attending a Taylor Swift event at a dance school when the offender armed with a knife walked into the premises and started to attack inside the children,” Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said in a press conference. “We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked.”

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy speaking to the media on July 29, 2024.

 JAMES SPEAKMAN – PA IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES
Aside from Swift herself, the King of England, the Prince and Princess of Wales, as well as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have also released statements regarding the stabbing.

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“My wife and I have been profoundly shocked to hear of the utterly horrific incident in Southport today,” King Charles wrote in a statement on X. “We send our most heartfelt condolences, prayers, and deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have so tragically lost their lives and to all those affected by this truly appalling attack.”

Emergency services near the scene in Hart Street, Southport on July 29, 2024

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“As parents, we cannot begin to imagine what the families, friends, and loved ones of those killed and injured in Southport today are going through,” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote on X. “We send our love, thoughts, and prayers to all those involved in this horrid and heinous attack. Thank you also to the emergency responders who, despite being met with the most horrific scenes, demonstrated compassion and professionalism when your community needed you most.”

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said in a statement to the BBC: “I know the whole country is deeply shocked about what they’ve seen and what they’ve heard. I know I speak for everyone in the whole country in saying our thoughts and condolences are with the victims, their families, their friends, and the wider community, and it’s almost impossible to imagine the grief that they’re going through, and the trauma that they’re going through. I do want to thank the emergency services and Merseyside Police, who have had to respond to the most difficult of circumstances today.”