Overview

• Axel Rudakubana, 18, was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison for the July 2024 murders of three girls aged 6, 7, and 9 during a dance class in Southport, England.
• The attack, described as premeditated and extremely violent, injured 10 others and included over 120 stab wounds inflicted on one of the victims.
• Rudakubana, diagnosed with autism and known to authorities for prior violent behavior, had been flagged three times to a counter-extremism program but was not deemed a threat.
• The murders prompted widespread anti-immigration riots across the UK, with over 410 individuals convicted for related violence, including attacks on mosques and asylum centers.
• Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a public inquiry into government failings to prevent the attack and criticized the growing threat of 'lone wolf' violence.