United Kingdom: Man arrested for stabbing eight people

A man has been arrested for stabbing eight people who were hospitalized with knife wounds on Monday in Southport, United Kingdom.

Local police reported that there is one man in custody, who was detained with a knife. Although they stated that the danger had been neutralized, police asked citizens to stay away from the area.  

The region's ambulance service reported that it had to dispatch 13 ambulances. The injured were transported to the Alder Hey Children's Hospital, Aintree University Hospital and Southport and Formby Hospital.

British media reported some of the victims were minors.

Both police and health services were alerted to the incident on Hart Street just after 11 a.m. One of the neighbors who called the authorities, a local store owner, described the incident as something out of a "horror movie" in the words reported by the BBC. He also maintained that six of the victims were young women.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the news was "horrendous and deeply shocking."

Patrick Hurley, a member of Parliament from Southport, also took to the internet to wish those affected well.

Suspect details

Law enforcement detailed that the detainee is a 17-year-old male from Banks.

The motive for the attack is still unknown. Police assured that they will question the suspect and asked the public to avoid speculation, although they did rule out that it was a terrorist attack.