The chilling premeditation of Axel Rudakubana’s horrific triple murder in Southport, England, is revealed through newly released footage that captures a tense exchange between his father and a taxi driver just a week before the tragedy. The video shows Alphonse Rudakubana desperately pleading with the driver not to take his son to Range High School, his former school, where it is suspected he planned a similar attack. This incident, occurring on July 22nd, places Rudakubana at the scene just minutes before students were scheduled to leave for summer break. His attire in the video – a green hooded sweatshirt and surgical mask – mirrors the outfit he wore on the day he fatally stabbed nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, six-year-old Bebe King, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe at a dance class.
The prosecution argues that this attempted visit to Range High School was no coincidence. Rudakubana, who had previously been expelled from the school for carrying a knife and later assaulting someone with a hockey stick, had booked the taxi under the alias “Simon” – the same name he used to order a cab to the Hart Street location of the eventual murders a week later. This, coupled with the timing of his attempted visit to the school just as students were about to be dismissed, strongly suggests a prior intent to commit a similar act of violence at Range High School. His father’s frantic intervention prevented this initial plan from unfolding, tragically delaying the inevitable carnage by just one week.
The video footage, along with other evidence presented in court, paints a disturbing picture of a planned attack. Rudakubana had purchased Apollo Cerbera knives days before the incident, again using the pseudonym “Simon.” This preemptive purchase, combined with his attempt to visit the school, demonstrates a calculated approach to his horrific crime. The fact that he was carrying a rucksack when he entered the taxi adds another layer to the chilling narrative, suggesting he may have been carrying weapons or other tools intended for use in an attack.
The prosecution’s argument hinges on the inference that Rudakubana’s actions on July 22nd were a dry run for the murders he committed a week later. The similarities between the two incidents – the timing, the intended location (a school filled with children), the use of a false name, and his attire – are too striking to be dismissed as coincidental. The father’s intervention, while preventing a potential massacre at Range High School, tragically only postponed the horrific event.
This new evidence provides crucial insight into Rudakubana’s state of mind leading up to the killings. It suggests a level of premeditation and planning that underscores the gravity of the crime. The image of his father desperately trying to stop him from going to the school is a poignant reminder of the devastating impact this tragedy has had on the families involved, including Rudakubana’s own. The video serves as a chilling testament to the averted tragedy at Range High School and a stark prelude to the unspeakable violence that would unfold just days later.
The case continues to unfold in Liverpool Crown Court, where the prosecution is piecing together the evidence to present a comprehensive picture of Rudakubana’s actions and motivations. The newly released footage, along with other details emerging from the trial, is helping to shed light on the dark events leading up to the tragic loss of three young lives. The legal process aims to bring justice for the victims and their families, while also grappling with the complex question of what drove Rudakubana to commit such a heinous act.
