'Desperately sorry' — Parents of the Southport killer apologise to victims' families
The parents of the Southport attacker expressed deep sorrow to the families of the children their son killed. They spoke during a public inquiry at Liverpool Town Hall on Thursday, where both appeared via videolink, their voices audible but not visible to the public or press.
Their son, Axel Rudakubana, was 17 when he murdered three girls — Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7; Bebe King, 6; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9 — and attempted to kill 10 others at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class on July 29, 2024.
Parents' Statement
Laetitia Muzayire, who moved to the UK from Rwanda with her husband Alphonse Rudakubana in 2002, read a prepared statement on behalf of the family. She described their grief and remorse as immense and unending.
“There are no words that can ever be enough to express our grief and remorse for the children whose lives were taken or forever changed by our son’s actions. We think of them every single day and we carry the weight of that loss in our hearts and prayers.”
“As a mother, I grieve deeply for my own son, but most of all for the innocent lives lost and the lives that have been devastated. There are many things that Alphonse and I wish we had done differently — anything that might have prevented the horrific event of July 29, 2024. For our failure, we are profoundly sorry. We pray every day for the children and their families, and for God’s comfort to surround them.”
Background
The inquiry continues to examine how the tragedy unfolded and what could have been done to prevent it. The Rudakubana family stated they came forward with “broken hearts,” fully aware that no apology could ever undo the pain caused.
Author’s summary
The parents of the Southport attacker addressed the inquiry with deep remorse, offering an emotional apology and prayers for the victims of their son’s deadly assault.