Parents of Southport killer thought he had ‘gone for a walk’, inquiry hears

The parents of Southport killer Axel Rudakubana believed their son had “gone for a walk” when he was carrying out his deadly attack, the public inquiry has heard.

In an opening statement on Tuesday, counsel to the inquiry Nicholas Moss KC said the week before the attack at the Taylor Swift-themed dance class, Alphonse Rudakubana pleaded with a taxi driver not to take his son anywhere after suspecting he was planning to go to his former high school armed with a knife.

Rudakubana, 18, killed Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and attempted to murder 10 others in the attack on July 29 last year.

Mr Moss said the killer’s family, including his parents who moved to the country from Rwanda in 2002 and his older brother Dion, would be a “significant” topic for the inquiry.

He told the Liverpool Town Hall hearing they had been asked for their views about why Rudakubana, who he referred to as AR, had left the house that day and Mr Rudakubana said he and his wife believed their son had gone for a walk.

Mr Moss said: “Given the context, including the matters that occurred on July 22 2024, and the fact that AR very rarely left the house, this might have been a cause for concern.”

The inquiry heard that on July 22 last year Mr Rudakubana said his son threatened him with a knife in an attempt to get another knife from him and asked him to buy petrol, but he refused.

Mr Rudakubana said he realised his son had called a taxi and inferred he was planning to go to his former high school, The Range in Formby, which was about to break up for the summer holidays.

He saw his son get into the taxi with a rucksack, which he suspected had a knife inside, and pleaded with the driver not to take him anywhere, eventually getting him to agree, Mr Moss said.

The inquiry heard a police investigation found no evidence of any shared mindset in the family in relation to Rudakubana’s interest in violence, or any evidence they knew what he was looking at online.

Mr Moss said: “However, it may be said to be apparent that AR’s parents were aware of other aspects of AR’s conduct that might have been expected to give rise to a concern.”

The inquiry had requested detailed statements from his parents and brother, he said.

The hearing was told Mr Rudakubana had hidden a machete, which was one of three ordered online by Rudakubana in 2023, from his son.

Mr Moss said the knife and sharpening stone, bought by Rudakubana using a driving licence belonging to a woman named Alice and delivered to the family home, were discovered at the top of the wardrobe in the parents’ bedroom.

He added: “In his statement to Merseyside Police after the attack, AR’s father stated that he had signed for a parcel containing knives that was addressed to someone with a British sounding name.

“He hid the parcel on top of his wardrobe despite AR asking for it.”