Warning: This article contains information that some might find disturbing.
Axel Rudakubana, who murdered three young girls in the United Kingdom last year, had a chilling outburst while in court today as he was sentenced to 52 years behind bars.
Rudakubana pleaded guilty earlier this week to the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, per the New York Post.
The attack occurred on July 29, 2024, at the Hart Space studio in Merseyside, UK, as a Taylor Swift-themed dance party was taking place.
Rudakubana, who was 17 at the time, entered the dance studio and began a silent, indiscriminate stabbing spree using a 20cm kitchen knife he had purchased on Amazon with encrypted software to conceal his identity.
Rudakubana’s attack was premeditated and executed with chilling precision. As some of his victims attempted to flee, he stabbed them in the back and even dragged one girl back inside to continue the assault.
Following his arrest at the scene, Rudakubana reportedly expressed satisfaction with his actions, stating he was “glad that the children were dead” and that he was “pleased by what he had achieved.”
A search of his home in Banks, Lancashire, uncovered a disturbing cache of weapons, including a machete and arrows, as well as a plastic kitchen box containing the deadly poison ricin.
Investigators also found an al Qaeda training manual, which police believe influenced his methods. The manual included detailed instructions on carrying out knife and ricin attacks, as reported by Sky News.
During his sentencing hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday morning, Rudakubana began shouting that he was in pain and refused to remain silent.
“I feel pain. I feel ill. Don’t continue,” he yelled, before adding: “I can’t remain quiet. I haven’t eaten for 10 days. I feel ill. I’m not going to remain quiet.”
His defense team confirmed that Rudakubana “has not eaten for a number of days” and “has drunk very little over that period of time.” They expressed concerns about his ability to handle the pressure of the proceedings.
“There was concern about his ability to be in a high-pressure situation,” his legal representatives said.
Despite these claims, the judge overseeing the case stated he had been assured of Rudakubana’s fitness to attend court. Medics present at the hearing confirmed the teenager was able to continue, though his legal team has since requested a second opinion.
As Rudakubana was escorted out of the courtroom, a relative of one of the victims shouted: “Coward.”
Merseyside Police Chief Constable Serena Kennedy described the attack as “cowardly and vicious” but stated there was no evidence that Rudakubana was driven by political or religious ideology.
“This is a young man with an unhealthy obsession with violence,” she said. “His only purpose was to kill the youngest and most vulnerable and spread the greatest level of fear and outrage, which he succeeded in doing.”
Rudakubana has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 52 years.
