Horror footage shows moment police rush towards Southport dance studio while killer is still inside
25 February 2025, 09:25
New footage of Axel Rudakubana's arrest released
Video footage of the moment a bystander tells police 'you need f****** gun' as they arrive at the scene of the Southport stabbings has emerged.
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A terrified local can be heard shouting the remark to police outside the Hart Space centre where Axel Rudakubana killed three children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event last year.
The video shows an officer attempting to enter the building, but the man pleads with him to stay and can be heard saying: “Don't go [in]. You need a f****** gun mate. He's got a f****** knife.”
Rudakubana was dragged out of the building and arrested by police after being tasered.
Rudakubana was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 52 years in January after admitting the murders.
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Rudakubana attempted to murder eight other children as well as businessman John Hayes and class instructor Leanne Lucas.
Ms Lucas told the BBC: “I just knew that if I didn't get out, everyone was going to die.”
The killer’s sentencing hearing heard that 'a number of people dialled 999' and the first police to attend, at 11.57am, were Sergeant Gregory Gillespie and Sergeant Luke Holden, who was armed with a taser.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said: “At the top of the stairs, they saw the defendant. He was standing over the body of Bebe King, who had visible stab injuries, and was holding a large bladed knife.”
He was told to drop the knife and he did so, Ms Heer said.
