Hero window cleaner tackled 'wanted to hurt' Southport stabber badly

Question

A hero window cleaner who tackled the Southport stabber as he unleashed a 'ferocious' attack on young girls during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class has revealed he wanted to 'hurt him so bad'.

Joel Verite stopped at the scene of Monday's savage attack, which has so far claimed the lives of three girls, with seven more people left in a critical condition.

The 25-year-old rushed headlong into the carnage after coming to the aid of a screaming woman - who then demanded: 'Forget about me, there's a fella in there stabbing kids'.

Mr Verite said he sprinted into the building where the mayhem was taking place and saw children and adults covered in blood - before then 'locking eyes' with the knifeman at the top of the stairs. 

The young father, who is also a personal trainer, then charged at the attacker, wrestling with him before later carrying stabbed girls away from the scene. 

Speaking out for the first time about the ordeal, Mr Verite told Sky News: 'I look up and there's this guy with a knife. I just wanted to hurt him so bad. But I was scared for myself and I wanted to help people.'




Joel Verite (pictured) stopped at the scene of Monday's savage attack, which has so far claimed the lives of three children, with seven more people left in a critical condition





Six-year-old Bebe King was pronounced dead shortly after the attack in Southport on Monday





Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, was also confirmed to have died on Monday as nine other children and two adult women were rushed to hospital





Another of the children killed in the horror Southport stabbing attack was today named as Alice Aguiar, nine










An aerial view of the scene in Southport as a crazed knifeman targeted young girls at a dance class







The window cleaner was on his lunch break when a crazed attacker launched a frenzied attack at the holiday club dance workshop which was being held at The Hart Space studio in Southport, Merseyside.

Three children have died, eight others injured and two adults were also wounded as they 'bravely' tried to intervene. 



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The child victims have today been named as six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and nine-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar. 

Yoga instructor Leanne Lucas, who was leading the dance class with colleague Heidi Barlow, was also among those injured and is in hospital. 

Five further children, aged between six and 11, were in a critical condition alongside two female adults, among those Ms Lucas.

Alder Hey Children's hospital this afternoon released a statement confirming that seven children had been taken to the site for treatment. One of those was Alice, and of the others, two remain in a critical condition, a spokesperson said. 

A 17-year-old boy, from the nearby Lancashire village of Banks, remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder and is being questioned following the incident. 

The 'introverted' suspect was born in Cardiff after his family moved from Rwanda - then moved north to Merseyside about ten years ago.

Describing how the tragedy unfolded, Mr Verite said: 'We were just listening to music in our own world, then he [his colleague] slammed on the brakes and all I can see from my side is a girl hanging from the side of her car.

'I jumped out the car and I just asked her if she was alright. She just looked in complete shock and had blood all over her body.

'She just screamed at me: 'He's killing kids over there, he's killing kids over there'.'

Speaking about coming face to face with the attacker, he added: 'I run towards the door, the entrance and exit to the dance studio.

'There were two men in the gym where I used to go to ... they're pointing to the dance studio saying 'he's in there'.

'I open the door downstairs ... there's a guy at the bottom of the stairs with a full tracksuit, his hood up, with a knife.









Mr Verite (pictured) was on his lunch break when a crazed attacker launched a frenzied attack at the holiday club dance workshop





Mr Verite said he smashed the door to prevent the knifeman escaping before returning to the car park





Forensic officers were seen at the scene in Southport on Tuesday as investigations begin





Heartbreaking floral tributes and teddy bears were left at the scene of the attack on Tuesday afternoon





A tribute to 'the lost angels' sits alongside a fluffy teddy bear in a heartbreaking message for the little children





Firefighters from Merseyside joined members of the public in paying tribute to those killed and injured in the stabbings







'We've looked at each other and he's scurried off to the side.'

Asked what was going through his head when he and the knifeman saw each other, the window cleaner said: 'I'm thinking things that I'm not allowed to say on Sky News right now.

'I'm really scared, all I saw was a knife ... I'm there by myself at the bottom of the stairs.'

Mr Verite said he smashed the door to prevent the knifeman escaping before returning to the car park.

'I came outside and I'm hectic now because I've seen the guy. I'm screaming because I knew where he was,' he recalled.  




Brave Leanne Lucas, 35, (pictured) who organised the Taylor Swift-themed workshop, suffered stab injuries after the man entered the venue through the unlocked door, which was left open amid the scorching heat





The local teacher saved 16 children as the 25-strong class aged between six and 11, while nine children were taken to hospital. One has since died, with five still in a critical condition





She organised the dance, yoga and bracelet making workshop in Southport with Heidi Barlow, bang cap 3 (related webpage) also 35, a fellow dance teacher, (pictured) who advertised the event as being for 'Swifties' 






The attack happened at a Taylor Swift-themed workshop on Hart Street in Southport. Police later swooped on a property in Banks, five miles away





Taylor Swift said she is 'completely in shock' after the 'horror' of the Southport knife attack 







'I was screaming 'where's the police, where's the police?'.'

Mr Verite said it 'felt like a lifetime' before police officers swooped on the scene.

The window cleaner, a new father, said it was 'one of the hardest things' he has ever witnessed.

In the interview, he continued: 'These children weren't crying - they were absolutely terrified - if that makes sense.

'Their parents turn up in absolute hysterics and they scream and cry that they want to go into the building, but they're not allowed to because it's a crime scene.

'They ask me questions wanting to know information. It's heartbreaking.

'It made me feel disgusted and really upset for all the parents and all the children who had to go through that yesterday.

'I'm not going to label myself a hero. I'm happy that I've done what I've done, and I'm happy that I've at least managed to save at least one life - if not more.'

The knifeman was later 'tackled down to the floor' by police, he added.

The families of the victims today paid tribute as they try and come to terms with the tragedy.

In a statement, Bebe's family said: 'No words can describe the devastation that has hit our family as try to deal with the loss of our little girl Bebe.