The Story Why wasn't the Southport attack stopped?
Nov 7, 2025
Constance Kampfner, Northern correspondent for The Times, delves into the tragic Southport attack, which claimed the lives of three young girls. She discusses the ongoing public inquiry and highlights systemic failures by multiple agencies that could have prevented the tragedy. Constance sheds light on troubling signs from the teen attacker, Axel Rudakubana, his history of violence, missed mental health assessments, and the family's desperate attempts to seek help. The episode underscores the complexities of youth radicalization and the challenges of intervention in mental health crises.
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Repeated Red Flags Went Unconnected
- Multiple agencies repeatedly saw warning signs about Axel Rudakubana but failed to join the dots between violent behaviour and risk to others.
- Systemic gaps rather than a single failure allowed escalation into a fatal attack.
No Single Fix Would Guarantee Prevention
- No single obvious intervention would certainly have prevented the attack because each option had limits and trade-offs.
- The inquiry must untangle many small administrative and institutional failings to make practical recommendations.
School Signs Of Violent Intent
- At school Axel began openly praising past mass-casualty attacks and brought knives into school multiple times before expulsion.
- Teachers described growing agitation and a sense that "something was going to happen."
