UK Teen Pleads Guilty to Southport Girls’ Murder That Triggered Riots

On January 20, 2025, 18-year-old Axel Rudakubana pleaded guilty to the murders of three young girls—Bebe King (6), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7), and Alice da Silva Aguiar (9)—during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, England, on July 29, 2024. The attack also injured ten others, including eight children. Rudakubana admitted to 16 charges, encompassing three counts of murder, ten counts of attempted murder, and offenses related to the production of the biological toxin ricin and possession of an Al-Qaeda training manual. The incident sparked widespread riots across the UK, fueled by misinformation regarding the attacker’s identity. Despite the nature of the offenses, authorities have not classified the attack as terrorism-related. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, with a life sentence anticipated.