A young Tutsi Axel Rudakubana sentenced to 50 years in prison for killing three girls

A young Tutsi boy called Axel Rudakubana was sentenced to over 50 years in prison for killing three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England.

The judge, Julian Goose, called it "one of the most extreme and shocking crimes." Since Rudakubana was 17 at the time of the attack, he could not receive a life sentence without parole. However, he must serve at least 52 years, minus the six months he has already spent in custody before being considered for release. The judge also mentioned that he might never be freed.

The attack happened in July in the town of Southport. Rudakubana killed Alice Da Silva Aguiar (9 years old), Elsie Dot Stancombe (7 years old), and Bebe King (6 years old). Eight other girls, aged between 7 and 13, were injured, along with their teacher, Leanne Lucas, and a local businessman, John Hayes, who tried to stop the attack.

The shocking incident led to violence in the streets and calls for a public inquiry into why authorities failed to prevent the attack, despite multiple warnings about Rudakubana’s violent behavior.

During the court hearing, Rudakubana pleaded guilty to three murders, ten attempted murders, and other charges related to possessing a knife, the poison ricin, and an al-Qaida manual. However, he disrupted the session by shouting that he felt sick and wanted medical help. The judge ordered him to be removed when he continued shouting, and someone in the courtroom called him a "coward."

The attack happened on the first day of summer vacation when 26 girls were making bracelets and singing along to Taylor Swift songs. Suddenly, Rudakubana entered with a large knife and started stabbing the girls and their teacher.

Court evidence showed a video of him arriving by taxi, walking inside, and immediately attacking. Children ran outside in fear, some wounded. One girl was pulled back inside and stabbed 32 times but survived. Some of the victims suffered severe injuries, with one having 122 wounds and another 85.

Prosecutors revealed that Rudakubana had a deep obsession with violence, killing, and genocide. He was reported multiple times for violent behavior. After being arrested, he showed no remorse, saying, "It's a good thing those children are dead. I'm so glad, I'm so happy."

Following the murders, some far-right activists spread false rumors that Rudakubana was a newly arrived asylum seeker and claimed the attack was a terrorist act. However, Rudakubana was actually born in Cardiff, Wales, to Christian parents from Rwanda. Authorities could not find a clear reason for his attack, but his devices contained materials about Nazi Germany, the Rwandan genocide, and bomb-making.

Before the attack, Rudakubana had a long history of violent behavior. When he was 13 and 14, he was reported to a government anti-extremism program three times, once for researching school shootings in class, another time for posting photos of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, and later for looking up information about a London terror attack.

In 2019, he called a children’s helpline asking what to do if he wanted to kill someone. He later brought a knife to school to attack a bully and assaulted a student with a hockey stick.

Prosecutors decided not to classify his crimes as terrorism since he had no clear political or religious motive. Instead, they said he simply wanted to kill as an end in itself. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the case "one of the most tragic moments in our country’s history" and emphasized the need for stronger measures against individuals with violent tendencies.

During the court hearing, victims' families and survivors shared their pain. The dance teacher, Lucas, expressed deep guilt for surviving when children died.

A 14-year-old survivor said the mental trauma would last forever and called Rudakubana a "coward." The parents of one of the murdered girls, Alice Da Silva Aguiar, described how their lives were shattered, saying, "We used to cook for three. Now we only cook for two. It doesn’t seem right."