UK Teen Faces Sentencing Over Southport Girls’ Murders That Sparked Riots

Axel Rudakubana, 18, is set to be sentenced for the murders of three young girls—Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9)—during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024. The attack also injured ten others, including eight children. Following the incident, misinformation about the attacker’s identity fueled anti-immigrant riots across the UK. Despite prior referrals to the Prevent program due to his obsession with violence, authorities failed to recognize the threat he posed. An inquiry has been launched to investigate these oversights.