A British teenager has been charged with murder after a knife attack on a dance class in England left three children dead and ten people injured.

The incident occurred on Monday in the coastal town of Southport.

Merseyside Police said a 17-year-old has been charged with the triple murder of 6-year-old Bebe King, 7-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe and 9-year-old Alice Dasilva Aguiar.

The teenager was also charged with ten counts of attempted murder and possession of a knife object.

Because the teenager was a minor, police initially did not release his name. But on Thursday he appeared in court, where Liverpool Judge Andrew Menary identified the suspect as Axel Rudakubana, according to the Associated Press.

The judge said the suspect could be named despite his lack of adulthood because he turns 18 next week, AP reported.

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“While this charge represents a significant milestone in this investigation, it remains an ongoing investigation and we continue to work with our partners at Lancashire Police and Counter Terrorism Policing North West,” Merseyside Police Chief Serena Kennedy said in a press release.

“I would like to thank all the emergency services who have offered and pledged support to Merseyside Police over the last three days and I can confirm that we are being supported with investigative resources from across the North West,” said Kennedy.

In an earlier update, police said eight children were injured, five of them in critical condition. Two injured adults were also in critical condition.

The stabbing occurred during a Taylor Swift-themed event promoting dance, yoga and bracelet making.

Swift responded to the attack with a statement in her Instagram story, saying she was “completely shocked.”

“They were just little kids at the dance class. I don’t know how to express my condolences to these families,” said the pop star.

The suspect is due to appear in court on Thursday, police said.

The investigation is still ongoing.