Axel Rudakubana pleads guilty to three murders in Southport

Axel Rudakubana, an 18-year-old, pleaded guilty to the murders of three young girls during a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29, 2024. He had been referred to the UK's Prevent counter-terrorism program three times prior to the attack due to concerns about his interest in violent material and school massacres, but was deemed not to pose a terrorist risk. Authorities conducted an emergency review of Prevent's handling of Rudakubana following the attack, concluding that the program's policies were properly followed at the time. In addition to the murders, Rudakubana also pleaded guilty to ten counts of attempted murder and possession of a biological toxin, ricin. Despite evidence of his violent behavior and previous incidents at school, police reported no evidence suggesting a terrorist motivation behind the attack. Rudakubana will be sentenced in Liverpool Crown Court shortly.