One girl has died and seven others have been injured in a horrific stabbing at a Taylor Swift dance and yoga class in the UK.
Police were called to Southport in northwest England on Monday morning local time, with armed police quickly covering the area and declaring a “major incident”.
Local residents said that children around the age of ten ran out into the street screaming and covered in blood.
At the time of the attack, they were attending a class at The Hart Space, where a Taylor Swift themed workshop was being held.
A local father, who did not want to be named, said his daughter was “traumatized” by the attack.
He said: “My daughter was in it and she was traumatised.
“She escaped and she is safe.”
Medics could be seen with their heads in their hands after witnessing the standoff.
A man has been arrested and a knife confiscated after several people were injured, Merseyside Police said.
The injured were taken to three hospitals.
At least 25 children were participating in the event when the attack took place Daily Mail said.
Witnesses say the suspect was wearing a “black hoodie” when he entered The Hart Space and arrived in a taxi.
Police warned people to avoid the area, but said there was no wider threat to the community.
A local business owner who was one of the people who called the police said the incident in Southport was like “a scene from a horror movie”.
Local resident Colin Parry said: “Mothers come here and scream.
“It's like a scene from a horror movie.”
“The police detained him,” he added.
“It's like something out of America, not like sunny Southport.”
Witnesses reported seeing about 20 police cars and several ambulances, as well as a helicopter circling overhead.
One resident told the Liverpool ECHO they had locked their doors and windows to “stay safe”.
Others reported hearing “a lot of sirens” and the entire street was cordoned off by the police.
A statement from Merseyside Police said: “We can confirm that emergency services are in Southport following a major incident this morning, Monday 29 July.
“At around 11.50am we were called to a house in Hart Street to reports of a stabbing.
“A number of casualties have been reported and more details will be confirmed when possible.
“The armed police detained the man and confiscated the knife. He was taken to the police station.
“Please avoid the area while we deal with this incident. There is no wider threat to society.”
A spokesman for the North West Ambulance Service said: “We are attending a major incident in Hart Street, Southport, following reports of multiple stabbings to which we have dispatched several resources.
“We are assessing the situation and working with emergency partners.”
– With the Sun
