In the hours since a mass stabbing attack took place at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class for children in the small town of Southport, England on Monday, police have publicly released little information about the suspect, only identifying him as a 17-year-old boy who was born in Cardiff. A number of reports have now claimed that he was the son of Rwandan immigrants.
According to the BBC, neighbors of the suspect said his parents come from the African nation to the United Kingdom prior to his birth, and went on to build a life for themselves in Wales before moving up to Lancashire. TalkTV's Mike Graham corroborated that story, telling viewers in a broadcast on Tuesday that he had been given that information by the Merseyside Police.
One neighbor described the suspect's family as "normal," adding that his mother stayed at home while his father went to work. "They said they'd come from Rwanda and I thought, whatever you've been through, you deserve privacy," she added. "I'm not going to pry, you know; you've already got a story and it's probably not a good one. [The Rwandan genocide] had been in the news about a year before that."
The suspect, who was promptly taken into custody following the attack, allegedly stabbed at least thirteen people, including 11 children. Three children, ages six, seven, and nine, have since succumbed to their injuries, while five others are in critical condition. Two adults are also in critical condition.
Following the incident, which took place shortly after 11:30am Monday at the Hope of Hart children's club, tributes from elected officials, residents, and others have poured in. Even Taylor Swift herself released a statement on the attack.
"The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I'm just completely in shock," she wrote in a story. "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."
A fundraiser set up by "Swifties" has since brought in over £143,000 for the Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where many of the victims received treatment.
According to the BBC, neighbors of the suspect said his parents come from the African nation to the United Kingdom prior to his birth, and went on to build a life for themselves in Wales before moving up to Lancashire. TalkTV's Mike Graham corroborated that story, telling viewers in a broadcast on Tuesday that he had been given that information by the Merseyside Police.
One neighbor described the suspect's family as "normal," adding that his mother stayed at home while his father went to work. "They said they'd come from Rwanda and I thought, whatever you've been through, you deserve privacy," she added. "I'm not going to pry, you know; you've already got a story and it's probably not a good one. [The Rwandan genocide] had been in the news about a year before that."
The suspect, who was promptly taken into custody following the attack, allegedly stabbed at least thirteen people, including 11 children. Three children, ages six, seven, and nine, have since succumbed to their injuries, while five others are in critical condition. Two adults are also in critical condition.
Following the incident, which took place shortly after 11:30am Monday at the Hope of Hart children's club, tributes from elected officials, residents, and others have poured in. Even Taylor Swift herself released a statement on the attack.
"The horror of yesterday's attack in Southport is washing over me continuously and I'm just completely in shock," she wrote in a story. "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."
A fundraiser set up by "Swifties" has since brought in over £143,000 for the Alder Hey Children's Hospital, where many of the victims received treatment.
