(TheLastPatriotNews.com) – In the wake of the devastating stabbing incident at a Taylor Swift-themed event in the UK, two educators, Leanne Lucas and Heidi Barlow, both 35, were commended for their valiant efforts to safeguard the children in attendance, as at least one of them, Lucas, is in hospital fighting for her life.
The event, which featured yoga and dance activities for kids, took a tragic turn when a teenager armed with a knife attacked, resulting in the deaths of three young girls and injuries to nine other children and two adults.
During the chaos, Lucas facilitated the escape of several children aged between 6 and 11 years through a fire exit.
Meanwhile, Barlow secured a group of children within a bathroom stall to protect them, as recounted by a local resident to The Sun.
“She was in the toilet, shut the door and locked it with one of the kids. The other got some kids to the fire exit,” the local said, cited by The New York Post.
Authorities reported that two adults were critically injured while endeavoring to shield the children. According to The Guardian, these adults were attacked amidst their protective actions.
Pauline Bennett, Lucas’ aunt, shared with the Telegraph that Lucas, who is an elementary school teacher and the yoga instructor at the event, was awaiting surgery.
“She’s only tiny, she wouldn’t have stood a chance against a man with a knife, but she just wanted to protect those children,” Bennett said.
The condition of Barlow was not specified at the time.
The incident, which unfolded at the Hart Space yoga studio in Southport, claimed the lives of three girls, ages 6, 7, and 9.
Additionally, eight other children were injured, with five in critical condition, as reported by the Merseyside police.
Chief Constable Serena Kennedy of Merseyside Police highlighted, “We believe that the adults who were injured were bravely trying to protect the children who were being attacked.”
The event, marketed as a “morning of Taylor Swift-themed yoga, dance, and bracelet making,” had attracted at least 25 children within the stated age range.
The assailant, a 17-year-old, entered the venue and initiated the attack.
Following the incident, support for Lucas, who is the founder of Enlighten—the company that organized the event—surged online.
The police have indicated that while the motive behind the attack remains uncertain, it is not considered to be terror-related.
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