London – King Charles III visited Southport in northern England to honor the victims and families impacted by a mass stabbing incident that occurred during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class last month.

On Tuesday, Charles met some of the children who survived the attack, along with their families. He also expressed gratitude to representatives from local emergency services and community organizations.

Tragically, three children, aged 6, 7, and 9, lost their lives in the attack on July 29. Additionally, two adults and eight other children were treated for stab wounds but were released from the hospital days later, as reported by Merseyside police.

According to reports from BBC and The Telegraph, the stabbing occurred at The Hart Space venue during a sold-out Taylor Swift-themed party organized by Enlighten Kids Yoga, a group catering to children aged 2 to 6 years.

A 17-year-old boy was apprehended on charges of murder and attempted murder. The police stated that they would not disclose the suspect’s identity due to his age.

The police had issued warnings about false information regarding the arrest, stating: “A name has been circulated on social media related to the suspect involved in the Southport incident. This information is incorrect, and we ask the public to refrain from speculating about the incident as the investigation is ongoing.”

The attack led to several nights of unrest and racially motivated attacks against Muslims and migrants throughout the UK, fueled by misleading information suggesting the assailant was an Islamist migrant.

Charles commended the community’s spirit, kindness, and strength in the face of the turmoil caused by the riots, expressing his hope that respect and understanding would prevail throughout the nation.

On the previous day, some victims’ families were invited to meet Taylor Swift at her Eras Tour concert. One mother, Sami Foster, shared a video montage set to the song “Enchanted” from Swift’s 1989 World Tour. She wrote on TikTok, “You drew stars around my scars 💫…. Huge thanks to @Taylor Swift and her mom for creating such a magical night for us. It meant the world to Hope & Autumn 💗💗💗.”

Contributing: Taijuan Moorman, Naledi Ushe, KiMi Robinson and Bryan West, YSL News Network; Alistair Smou, Reuters