Shoulder to Shoulder with the Southport Killer

A Day of Horror and Heroism

The events of July 29, 2024, in Southport will forever be etched in the memories of those who were present. For Sgt Greg Gillespie, a police officer with years of experience, nothing could have prepared him for the harrowing scene he encountered that day. The call came in about a stabbing at a dance studio, but what followed was far beyond anything he had imagined.

Upon arrival, Sgt Gillespie saw a little girl on the floor, seemingly lifeless, after being stabbed more than 30 times. Despite the severity of her injuries, she survived. The sight left an indelible mark on him. "I don't think there's any amount of training or experience that can quite prepare you to deal with something like that," he reflected.

PC Luke Holden, who arrived shortly after, recalled hearing the urgency in his colleague’s voice over the radio. “I could just hear sort of terror in Greg's voice,” he said. The situation was dire, and they knew they couldn’t wait for backup. “We just knew the right thing was that we couldn't wait for armed response back-up,” Sgt Gillespie explained.

With no clear idea of where the suspect was, the officers made a split-second decision to enter the building together. “Greg looked at me and said 'are you ready?' I replied with a simple 'yeah' and then we went shoulder to shoulder into the building,” PC Holden remembered.

The Attack That Changed Everything

Inside the building, they confronted 17-year-old Axel Rudakubana, who had walked into the studio during a Taylor Swift-themed workshop and attacked the children. He was holding a blood-stained knife, displaying it as if daring them to act. “It was almost like he was saying, 'I've got a knife, what are you going to do?'” Sgt Gillespie said.

As the officers approached, Rudakubana’s demeanor shifted. “He wasn’t scared of us, so he didn’t want to know,” Sgt Gillespie added. The attack claimed the lives of three young girls—Alice Aguiar, Bebe King, and Elsie Dot Stancombe—while eight other children and two adults were seriously injured.

Rudakubana was later sentenced to life with a minimum of 52 years in prison for the killings. The tragedy left a deep scar on the town, but it also brought the community together in an extraordinary way. “The community has come together mostly as a result of the actions of the parents of the victims who've been nothing short of inspirational,” Sgt Gillespie said.

The Aftermath and the Impact on Officers

For the officers involved, the event changed them in profound ways. PC Holden described an increase in hyper-vigilance, where he became wary of every situation. “You start thinking worst case of every situation you deal with,” he said. PCSO Timothy Parry found it difficult to return to normal life, especially when dealing with his own child and seeing others around the same age as the victims.

Sgt Gillespie called the day “the toughest experience of my life, never mind my career.” However, he emphasized that the pain of the officers pales in comparison to the suffering of the families. “Our pain and suffering is the tiniest drop in the largest ocean compared to theirs,” he said.

All three officers were recognized for their bravery at the Police Federation of England and Wales 2025 awards. Their actions that day demonstrated courage and quick thinking under extreme pressure.

A Community United

Despite the trauma, the community has shown remarkable resilience. The parents of the victims have worked tirelessly to keep their daughters’ legacies alive, bringing people together in a shared effort to heal. As Sgt Gillespie noted, their strength and determination have inspired everyone in the area.

The events of that day serve as a reminder of both the darkness that can exist in the world and the incredible capacity for unity and compassion that people can display in the face of tragedy.