A stabbing incident in Southport, England has left at least eight people with stab injuries, with a suspect arrested by police officials. The incident occurred at a property in Southport, near Liverpool, and has been described as “deeply shocking” by Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The North West Ambulance Service has treated the injured and the hospitals have declared a major incident with their emergency departments overwhelmed. Flights to Southport have been restricted and the area cordoned off. Local witnesses describe the scene as reminiscent of a horror movie, with several young girls believed to have been stabbed.
Government officials, including Starmer, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, and Mayor of Liverpool Steve Rotheram, have expressed concern and are monitoring the situation closely. Knife crime has been a growing issue in England and Wales, with over 14,000 offences recorded in the year leading up to December 2023. Starmer, who had promised to make tackling knife crime a priority, introduced a new crime bill before winning the general elections in July. This bill seeks to crack down on the sale of ninja and samurai swords as part of efforts to address knife crime. The police have arrested the suspect and are investigating the incident further.
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