Southport: Axel Rudakubana, who killed three girls in a stabbing spree at a UK dance class, had 'clearly revealed' he was an extreme danger and his attack in Southport, England 'could and should have been prevented', a public inquiry has found. The teenager, who was jailed for a minimum of 52 years, could have been stopped if his parents had 'done what they morally ought to have done,' or if appropriate arrangements had been put in place by agencies to address his risk, chairman of the Southport Inquiry Sir Adrian Fulford said in his report, published on Monday.
According to Ghana News Agency, Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9, Bebe King, 6, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, were murdered when Rudakubana entered the Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in The Hart Space, armed with a knife, on July 29, 2024. The killer, then 17, also attempted to murder eight other children, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as class instructor Leanne Lucas and businessman John Hayes.
In his report, comprised of two volumes with a total of 763 pages and setting out 67 recommendations, Fulford said there was a 'fundamental failure' by any organisation, or multi-agency arrangement, to take ownership of the risk Rudakubana posed. In a statement delivered at Liverpool Town Hall as the report was published, Fulford emphasized the preventability of the tragedy, stating that with appropriate procedures and sensible steps by the agencies and Rudakubana's parents, the dreadful event could have been avoided.
Fulford highlighted the failure at both an organisational and individual level to 'stand up and accept responsibility' for managing the risk the killer posed, calling it a 'frankly depressing - and therefore urgent - matter requiring Government attention.' He criticized the 'inappropriate merry-go-round of referrals, assessments, case-closures and 'hand-offs'' that Rudakubana's case experienced.
Solicitor Nicola Ryan-Donnelly, representing 22 children injured in the attack, described the report as 'disturbing reading' and urged immediate action on its recommendations. She insisted that those addressed should take action now to prevent any recurrence of such a horrific event.
Fulford criticized Rudakubana's parents, Alphonse Rudakubana and Laetitia Muzayire, for 'creating significant obstructions' to engagement with him by various agencies and failing to report a clear escalation in his risk. He stated that if the parents had acted morally, the attack would not have occurred. Despite this, Fulford noted it should have been 'obvious' to those in a position to act that Rudakubana was not being 'effectively parented.'
Rudakubana's parents, who moved to the UK from Rwanda, provided evidence to the inquiry remotely. His mother expressed profound regret, stating, 'There are many things that Alphonse and I wish we had done differently, anything that might have prevented the horrific event of July 29, 2024. For our failure, we are profoundly sorry.'
The inquiry revealed Rudakubana's dangerous tendencies had been evident long before the attack, with a significant incident occurring in December 2019, when he attacked a student at his former school, armed with a kitchen knife and a hockey stick. Despite this 'watershed event,' agencies failed to recognize the high risk of harm he posed to others.
Between 2019 and 2024, Rudakubana was referred to the anti-terror program Prevent three times, but all referrals were closed. He purchased weapons, including three machetes, online and ingredients to make the poison ricin, indicating his chilling preoccupations and readiness to cause harm.
Fulford recommended considering a single agency or structure to monitor interventions for children presenting a high risk of serious harm in the second phase of the inquiry, to prevent future tragedies.